Behind Green Eyes
by Unleashed Reasoning
Summary: Someone's having a bad day. Actually, its more like a few years worth of bad days... Can you guess whose luck seems shot?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Um... This idea just like, came outta no where and uh, just demanded to be written. I found myself halfway through the idea before I thought of a little twist to add to it. Please let me know what you think. My imagination is still chasing me around (glances suspiciously over shoulder).

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She wasn't listening. She should be, but she couldn't even put up the front of listening. She had tuned it out before the guy had even started to talking. It's not as if he noticed. He was still yammering on and on. She closed her eyes. Reaching up, she rubbed her forehead. Today was not the day for this. Most days aren't. But, today was the worst. She didn't want to be here. She didn't care what was going on. She gave it up. That split second reality sank in, she just had enough.

His rants had been enough. She was finished. All those lies, all the hours of constant gibberish… She had enough. No more self control. No more lingering urges to strike something as hard as she can. Oh, don't take it the wrong way. She loved excitement, adventure, but it wasn't even about that anymore. She could do that any day. This… This had been going on for long enough. No more games, no more trying to play "nice".

She stood up. She gathered her things. It wasn't hurried or panicked. It was slow, methodical. She'd had enough. He didn't notice. A part of her did feel shunted that he didn't even notice what she was doing, but the other part of her had expected it. After all, it was one of the main reasons she was leaving. The guy could care less what she did. He just wanted her for glory, a stepping stone to his farsighted ideals that, more then likely, wouldn't come true.

She paused to see if she had everything. To be sure, she went through every room one more time, inspecting any place she might have squirreled something away. Satisfied she'd left nothing, she turned back to her things piled neatly by the door. Still taking her time, and still unnoticed by the man, she opened the door and opened up the car. She then took her possessions and packed them into the vehicle. As soon as she's finished, she shut the trunk with a THUMP. She spotted something on the counter. Smacking herself in the forehead, she dashed back in to grab the item winking at her from the counter. How could she almost forget her greatest treasure?

"Where are you going?" demanded the man, finally snapping out of his rant. She rolled her eyes, cupping her hands protectively around her treasure.

"I'm leaving," she said simply. Why mince words?

"Leaving?! Why are you leaving?!"

To herself, she admitted it's because he annoys the hell out of her. She'd been foolish to stay as long as she had.

"Because, it's long overdue," she said instead. Man, she was being too nice to the guy. She should just tell him off. A hand grabbed her shoulder when she tried to walk out the door.

"You can't leave!" he shouted. She merely looked down at the hand then back up at his face. She was clearly daring him to keep his hand where it was. She inwardly smirked as the man swallowed nervously. She shrugged his hand off her shoulder.

"Watch me."

He made another attempt to grab her, but she pivoted and sent her foot right up into his chin. He fell sprawled out on the ground. He sat up and sputtered at her, cupping his chin in his hands, blood trickling out the corner of his mouth.

"W-why?!" he stuttered. She rolled her eyes again.

"You're so blind. Get a life." She didn't spare him another look as she walked out the door and edged her way around to the drivers seat of the car. She got it and shut the door. The sound of the ignition starting up was like music to her ears. She pulled out of the driveway and rolled out onto the road. She found her way to the highway, picking a direction, but not really intent on the destination. She reached out and turned the stereo on. She flipped through songs until she found some hard rock and roll. She wasn't in the mood for anything less harsh.

She let the shouting, the growling, the heavy bass of the music drown out all other thoughts. Her head bobbed. Her hands beat out a beat on the steering wheel. Her left foot was even tapping out the beat. She ignored the sights out her window. She ignored the blare of car horns as others passed her. She was blessedly, in her own world. She checked the gas gauge. Rolling her eyes, she found the nearest gas station.

She pulled up and popped the gas tank. She filled the tank before heading in for some gum and coffee, and a quick restroom break. As she was washing her hands in the restroom, she looked up to find a face she had to stare at every morning for the last three years. It made her growl. Her hair had grown too long, for HIM. She had kept it nice and wavy, for him too. Her eyes… lord… her eyes. She hated staring into those eyes. It was like looking at a stranger. There was no spark of life there, there was no eagerness of the next new adventure. It died ages ago. She couldn't even remember when she'd last looked in the mirror and seen the flash of energy in those green eyes.

She wasn't thinking as she pulled out the pocket knife she had taken from him. She just opened it up and started hacking off her hair into some semblance of shape. Curls fell to the floor by chunks. When she finally stops, her hair is only an inch or so long. Lord knows before this, she wouldn't have dared cut her hair this short. She ran a hand through her hair. She'd need to get some gel to help give it some life. Paying the hair on the floor no mind, she pockets the knife and waltzes out of the gas station. She pulls out a pair of sunglasses, hiding her dull green eyes by thin tinted plastic.

She slipped back into her car and took off. Exiting the city, she glances to her left and spots huge billowing clouds of black smoke. Sirens wailed all over the place as cops, fireman, and ambulances rushed to the scene. She only quirked an eyebrow at the chaos. An unfriendly smirk twisted her lips.

"They should really get some hero to save the day," she said sarcastically. "At this rate, the whole city will be in some lunatics hands." She shook her head in wry amusement. A body came flying out of the air and smashed into the hood of her car as she was trying to escape the city before she got caught up in it. She cursed, slamming on her breaks. She was out of the car in an instant. "What the fuck is your problem?!" she yelled. The body on her hood groaned and started to struggle to move. "What the fuck are you gonna do about my car?!" she continued, still obviously furious. A loud WHUD behind her made her turn around. "Aw, shit!"

She scowled as a large metal looking bug uncurled from a small crater. The bug was moving toward the fallen 'hero'… and right for her car.

"Bug, you better stay back or I'm going to wipe the floor with your ass!" she threatened. Of course, the thing didn't respond at all. It continued on its mindless task of defeating the fallen hero. Rolling her eyes, she kicked out and sent the bug tumbling back. It righted itself and focused its attention on her. "Stupid bug. I told you to back off. My car is damaged enough already, thank you."

Growling, she ducked into a fighting stance. The bug charged her, surprisingly fast for its cumbersome looking body. She easily dodged. She pulled out some electrical tape from her pocket and raced forward. Before the bug could react, she raced around it in circles, keeping it in place as she unrolled the tape around its legs. She stopped when her tape ran out. She kicked the bug hard enough it was sent flying a few feet before crashing to the ground. It snapped the tape around its legs and got up. She sighed.

The bug shot something at her. She rolled out of the way, the light that had been behind her hissing. She looked up to find it being eaten away by acid.

"Great, an invention that's actually half way decent. Remind me to congratulate the idiot that came up with it," she remarked irritably. She leapt away as the bug tried to spear her with it's spiky forelegs. Irritated all the more, she kicked the bug into a wall and dashed back to her car. She threw open the back door and rummaged around for something. She grinned darkly as she pulled out an item. She shut the door and turned back around to face the bug. It had recovered and was coming at her. She took the item in both hands and reared back. With one heavy swing, she clocked the bug right upside the head with a metal bat. Grinning widely, she followed as it staggered around. She brought the bat around again and again until the bug's head is a lumpy mass of metal, metal legs twitching uselessly. Oil was being spit about, covering her partially in it's black mess.

Satisfied with her work, she turned to find the hero staring at her with jaw agape. She herself had to do a double take. She snorted.

"Figures I'd find you here," she said. The hero's green eyes remained unblinking.

"W-what… We thought you were dead!" stuttered the hero.

She shrugged, lifting the bat to rest on her shoulder.

"Hey, it takes a lot to kill me, thank you."

"But, what are you doing here?!"

"I'm passing through," she answered, shrugging nonchalantly. The hero shook their head.

"But why?! We've been looking everywhere for you!" protested the hero.

She lifted an eyebrow. She bent down to retrieve her sunglasses.

"We?" she asked. The hero blushed slightly.

"Where have you been?" asked the hero, avoiding the question. "No one's seen or heard from you for years!"

"And that's the way I want to keep it," she retorted, getting slightly irritated by the prying questions.

"Why won't you talk to me?!" protested the hero.

"Listen, I don't know why you think you know me, but no matter what you say, you're not really doing anything for me, so just shut your trap." She frowned to find one of her lenses on her sunglasses broken beyond repair. "Great." She huffed before tossing them over her shoulder dismissively. She started back to her car. She looked pointedly at the hero. "Hey, mind getting off my car?"

"I-!"

"And don't start getting all prissy on me. I could sue you for the damages if I wasn't feeling generous. Beat it."

A hand grabbed the door before she could fully close it.

"Why won't you talk to me?!" demanded the hero.

"I all ready told you. You're starting to piss me off. Beat it already."

"Damn it, Kimmie! Talk to me!"

Her eyes flashed dangerously, the nickname having caused an unsettling feeling to rise in her stomach.

"Listen, SHEGO, I'm not playing hero anymore, got it? I'm not the goodie-two-shoes I was way back in the day." A taunting smirk lifted her lips. "And such a potty mouth for a hero! I'm shocked! Aren't you supposed to set an example?"

"Will you just talk to me, Princess?!"

Kim's eyes narrowed.

"Enough with the games, Shego. I've talked enough as it is. Catch you later, baby doll."

Kim slammed the door closed and started her car. Flipping off an enraged Shego, she took off down the street with a squeal of tires.


	2. Chapter 2

Kim glared out the windshield. Her knuckles were white on the steering wheel. Shego had been the last person she wanted to see. She dug into her pocket and pulled out her treasure. In her hand was a beautiful gold pendant with an emerald tucked in the corner. Kim had half the urge to roll down her window and toss it out. She never made it that far. It only managed to dangle in front of her face as she drove on with half an eye on the road. Kim slammed her fist onto the steering wheel, pendant swinging wildly.

"Damn her!" Kim tried to fight back the feeling of empty solitary. Jeeze, how long had it been since she felt comforted? Kim shook her head harshly. "She went back into the hero business… I wonder why she did that."

Kim held up the pendant again. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the woman's face from her mind. Kim sighed. There were many things she could kid herself about, but forgetting Shego wasn't one of them.

Bracing the steering wheel with her knee, she undid the clasp on the necklace and put the gold chain around her neck. It was stupid, she kept telling herself. It didn't mean anything. It wasn't like it changed anything. She wasn't going to go running back and explain anything to the plasma wielding woman. She didn't want the woman to chase her down and demand answers. All in all, all the motion did was admit to herself that there wasn't a way she could forget Shego.

She'd known that a long time. She knew the moment she met Shego that she wouldn't be able to forget her. Ha, who could forget a chick who could sling plasma around like it was nothing?

Kim frowned. Thinking of such things only brought back the other memories that came with it, the darker ones. Yes, once upon a time, thing's were fantastic. Thing's were normal, almost like a fairy tale. Really, how many people had such perfect lives that they could brag about? Hers was like a freakin' novel. It had just the right amount of adventure, excitement, and romance that any great book should. Heck, it could have made a great TV show! Still, thing's are never perfect forever.

Kim sighed in aggravation. She ran an irritated hand through her short red hair. Even this short, it was too damn curly. She grimaced. She would have to go straighten it when she got the chance. If it wasn't for HIM, she wouldn't even be worrying about it. Hell, she probably wouldn't have even cared if it was as long as it was before she hacked it off! But that was if it had been her choice…

Beep da, beep, da beeooop!

She jumped, nearly swerving into the other lane in surprise. She growled and pulled out her cell phone. Flipping it open, she hit the Send button.

"What?" she asked tersely.

"Is that any way to say hello?" teased the voice. Kim couldn't help but let out a sigh in slight relief.

"Sorry Dr. D. It's been a bad day."

The voice on the line laughed.

"I know."

Kim growled.

"What do you mean?"

"Hey, give a woman some credit. I DO have good informants."

Kim rolled her eyes.

"Dr. D…" she said threateningly. The woman on the other side huffed.

"Fine, spoil my fun. Your face is plastered all over the news. They keep raving about 'missing hero sightings!' and all that crap."

Kim groaned. She could already feel a headache forming.

"How the hell did they see me?! I wasn't even that close to the battle zone!"

The woman snorted.

"Bull shit. You kicked that bug robots butt. Hello!"

"Shit!" Kim hit the steering wheel again. "I only did that because it was going to ruin my car!"

The woman laughed.

"Yeah, that sounds like you. Anyway, when you coming home?"

Kim quirked an eyebrow.

"Home?"

The woman snorted.

"Yes, HOME! You know, the place you kick off your shoes, hang your hat? This ringing a bell?"

"Shut up Jenny, or I'll have to kick your ass."

"I'd like to see you try," Jenny answered coyly. Kim sighed.

"God, you're nothing like your mom, you know that?"

Jenny burst out laughing.

"Hell no! I never want to be neither!"

Kim had to smirk at that.

"Good, cause then I'd really have to kick your ass."

"Whatever," came the exasperated response. "But seriously, when you coming home?"

Kim sighed.

"Why do you keep calling it home?"

"Duh! Cause it's your home too! Hey, who the hell was the one who started this crap anyway?" demanded Jenny. "Georgia and I weren't exactly delving too deep into the villainy pools until you showed up!"

"Yeah, that's why your mom was pulling all the strings she could to keep you out of jail," Kim replied sarcastically.

"Ok, I dipped a little bit."

"A BIG bit…" interrupted Kim.

"A BIG bit," Jenny relented tightly. "But that doesn't matter. You're still the one that got us our gig."

Kim shrugged.

"Yeah, guess so."

"Know so."

"Whatever." Kim could feel Jenny's smirk, even through the phone. "Would you just tell me why you called?"

"Hey, we're worried about you girl. Running into Shego and leaving your hubby are a couple big leaps." Jenny let concern lace her words. Kim fell silent. "Hey Kim, you're not a Possible anymore. You can't do everything." Jenny hastily retracted that before Kim could say anything. "Er, I mean, you CAN do anything, but you even YOU can't deal with two big blows like that."

Kim let her mind wrap around that days events.

"… It was really only one big blow," she said finally. "Leaving my so called 'hubby' was actually a relief."

Jenny sighed.

"Good, cause it's about damn time you left that leech."

Kim cracked a smile.

"Hey, when I married the man, he still had a nice ass."

Jenny burst out laughing. When she finally calms down enough to speak, she's still a little breathless.

"Anyway, get your butt back home. We miss you."

Kim smiled evilly.

"Aww, you missed me?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet tone. Jenny snorted in disgust.

"Just come home, damn it!"

Kim laughed, feeling slightly better after such a long day.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm on my way." She glanced at the road signs and gets into the right lane to exit onto another highway.

"By the way," continued Jenny.

"What?" asked Kim, half distracted as she flipped on her blinker with one hand and started pulling onto the off ramp.

"You should have flipped off my mom for me. That would have been priceless."

Kim laughed.

"I wasn't exactly informed about camera locations, or you can bet I would have. Would have even had an 'Up Yours' sign for her too."

They both laughed.

"Anyway, I gotta go. Georgia is yelling at me about some missing game or something."

Kim grinned.

"All right. See you soon."

"See you soon, Red."

The connection went dead. Kim snorted again.

"Who'd believe that I'd be hanging out with the two most dangerous people in the world, and no body knows about it." A dark smile spread across her face. "Not that it won't be long before they do, but that's going to have to wait until Sandra arrives." Kim turned on the radio, flipping through stations until she found one that sounded half way decent. She tapped the steering wheel in thought for a moment. "I'm really going to have to explain a couple new additions… Mainly why there's something that will be showing up in our backyard in about… two seconds." She looked at her phone. "Wait for it…"

Beep da, beep, da beeooop!

"Hello?" she answered innocently, a smirk on her face.

"Why the FUCK is there a plane parked in our yard?!"

"Hiya Georgia," Kim replied cheerfully. "Nice to talk with you again too."


	3. Chapter 3

Kim couldn't stifle the amused smirk on her lips. Georgia's tapping foot and enraged glare was just down right amusing. Usually the girl was so stoic that getting any kind of response from her became a game between the other two residents. Knowing that, Georgia tried even harder to remain emotionless. However, Kim and Jenny were rather good at the game, and she often found herself at the losing end of the game. Damn them both.

"Okay Red, explain. Who the hell is that?" Georgia pointed to the bespectacled girl grinning behind Kim's shoulder. "And why do we have a jet parked in our backyard?"

Kim waved it off, still looking highly amused.

"Chill woman. This is Sandra." Kim jerked a thumb back at the slightly younger woman. "She's a well renowned genius. She'll be joining our team officially as of today."

"What the Fuck!? You decide now to tell us this?! Why didn't you mention it sooner?!"

Kim sauntered over to Georgia and threw her arms around the taller woman's neck. The tall black haired woman frowned, stuffing her hands into her jean pockets.

"Why, just to get this very reaction."

Georgia glared at her, icy blue eyes snapping with energy.

"Red, you seriously piss me off."

"I know. And, I enjoy every minute of it." Kim placed a quick kiss on the woman's cheek. Georgia grunted in annoyance. Kim laughed and released the woman. "But seriously, her brains are freakin' wired. She'll be an awesome addition to our little team."

"If you call us team Possible, I swear I'm going to drown you in the pool," retorted Georgia. She jerked her head in the direction of the door behind her. Kim grimaced.

"Ew! Hell no! Duh! I ditched that name years ago!"

Georgia looked her up and down.

"What, and you think Mankey is better?"

Kim's eye twitched.

"Georgia, I forgo that name too. The paperwork should be in the mail."

Georgia's eyebrow lifted ever so slightly.

"Oh really? What's your new name?"

A smile slowly crept across Kim's face. Georgia's eyes narrowed, and she was suddenly wary.

"Why Georgia dear, didn't I tell you? I'm changing my name to Elizabeth Banks."

Georgia's face paled considerably.

"The FUCK you did!" she rumbled, hands out of her pockets and clenched at her sides. "You better be joking, or I will kill you where you stand!"

Kim burst out laughing, sidestepping Georgia's furious kick. Sandra watched in amusement, sidestepping as Kim backed up from another kick.

"What's so unappealing about that name?" Sandra asked. Kim ducked a punch, smirking.

"Banks is her last name, and Elizabeth is her old hero rival."

Sandra giggled, earning a glare from Georgia.

"Shut up, the both of you," she said coldly. Kim laughed again, reaching up to brush Georgia's kick aside and slide past the extended leg to stand inches in front of Georgia.

"Relax Georgie, I was only kidding. Though, I really did entertain the thought of taking your last name."

Kim tapped her chin thoughtfully. Georgia frowned.

"Why would you do that? That name is cursed."

Kim laughed.

"It's only cursed because it's entrenched in a snooty greedy, overly rich family that thinks WAY too highly of themselves. And it just drives you up the wall to be related to them."

"Exactly. So, why my last name?"

"Aw, you mean you don't know?" Kim wrapped her arms around Georgia's neck again, resting her head on the taller woman's shoulder. "I wanted it to bring us closer together."

Georgia snorted in disgust.

"Bull shit. Now stop acting stupid and tell me what you're really changing your name to."

Kim pouted but pulled away.

"You should change it to my last name," said Jenny as she finally announced her presence. She was leaning against the doorframe. Kim grimaced.

"Are you nuts? I don't want to claim any kind of link to that woman. Though you carry your last name like a banner, slashing your mother's name by waving it around, there's no WAY I would dare use it. Can you imagine having two Directors in the same household? I have no idea how you or your mother survived each other."

Jenny laughed and waved flippantly at them all.

"Get out of the entryway. I would like to go back to lounging around on the sofa, thank you very much."

Georgia snorted and Kim rolled her eyes.

"You're so lazy," Kim said as she passed Jenny in the hall. Jenny grinned.

"Yes I am. No shame in it what-so-ever."

Sandra followed Kim, watching the whole exchange with amusement.

"What did you change your name to then?" she asked. She was just as curious as the others.

Kim didn't answer right away. She casually walked into the large living room, and before Jenny could spread out on the couch, Kim dashed forward and stole it. Jenny growled.

"You did NOT just do that!"

Kim smirked, stretching out to take up the whole plush leather couch.

"Sure I didn't." she replied sweetly. "I just wanted to spare you of it's oh so hateful comfortableness."

"Get off!"

"No way."

"Get off!" Jenny repeated. When Kim didn't move, she huffed and sat down roughly on the redhead's stomach. "Fine, you'll be my couch."

Kim grunted under the weight, but still didn't move to get up or push her off. She reached up to twine some of Jenny's long wheat colored hair around her finger. She sighed.

"What's the matter, Red?" Jenny was looking at her with a small frown of concern. Kim ignored the question, gaze fixed on her hand that was still toying with Jenny's hair.

"I'll come sit on your face if you don't answer," warned Georgia, looking completely serious. That did earn a surprised glace from Kim. She sighed again.

"It's just been a long day." She stopped playing with Jenny's hair to rub her face. Jenny quickly whirled around and wedged herself between Kim and the back of the couch. She threw an arm around Kim's waist and giggled.

"Well, now you're home, so quit being moody. You're no fun when you're grumpy." The short blond happily snuggled up against Kim's shoulder, earning a disgruntled sigh from Kim.

"You're too much like a kitten, you know that? You lie around all day but expect someone to snuggle with you when you want attention." Kim snorted. "More often then not, I'm the targeted sap."

Jenny merely made a happy mewling noise and burrowed deeper into Kim's shoulder. Kim rolled her eyes.

"Now, about that name," Sandra reminded her. Kim grimaced at her.

"Darn it, I wish you did forget stuff. It's no fun now that it's three against one. I can handle the two of them, but with you, it gives you all an unfair advantage."

Georgia grunted.

"So says the girl who claims she can do anything."

Kim smiled.

"Anyway, the name I picked is nothing special. I'm too partial to Kim to change that, but I did change my last name. As the papers go, I'm now officially Kim Delancy."

Jenny peeked up at her from her shoulder.

"Where did you get Delancy from?"

Kim shrugged.

"I threw a phonebook up in the air. When it fell open, I blindly ran my finger down the list then stopped."

Sandra rolled her eyes and Jenny giggled.

"Oh, how well thought out. I must be wary of your scheming," said Sandra sarcastically. She grinned at Kim. Kim laughed.

"I never said it was brilliant. It was just something other then Possible or Mankey. Anyway, we need to get a jump on our current mission."

Jenny groaned.

"A mission? I thought you quit the hero biz!"

Kim patted her head.

"Chill woman. It's definitely not heroically inclined. I'm talking about a mark I picked out."

Georgia perked up a little, though her face was emotionless.

"What's the mark?" she asked.

Kim found her hand playing with Jenny's hair again. She paused to watch it slip from her fingers.

"We're going to steal GJ's submarine."

A/N: This was just to give you an idea how these three interact together and introduce their characters a little. It also shows you how long they've known each other by way of how they act around each other. Also shows Kim isn't beyond good nature ribbing and such. She's just irked about a few things :) Anywho! On to the next scene! oh, and by the way, I never actually planned for this to be more then a one shot, so you're going to have bear with me a bit, cause this idea is being pieced together as I go.


	4. Chapter 4

She woke up screaming. Her eyes darted about the room in panic, and sweat had soaked her clothing. Her chest heaved as she frantically tried to recall where she was and who she was. It was disconcerting, to wake up and not remember who you're supposed to be.

After several long tense moments, with nothing jumping out of the dark at her, she began to calm down. She started to tremble as her heart rate and breathing relaxed a little, and she curled up in a tight ball, face buried in her knees. A knock on the door startled her. She lifted her head and looked at it warily.

"Kim?" called out a hesitant voice. Kim sighed in relief.

"Yeah?" she called back, her voice slightly shaking. That got an immediate response. The door flew open and Georgia, Jenny, and even Sandra all entered the room. Georgia was scowling while Jenny and Sandra both looked worried.

"Kim…" Georgia sounded threatening, she even looked like she was threatening the redhead, but Kim knew otherwise. She tried her best to smile.

"Sorry, just a bad dream."

Georgia shook her head, scowl growing deeper.

"Kim, you haven't had that dream for ages. What's going on?" demanded the taller girl. Kim grimaced. Georgia only used her actually name when she was serious. Usually Georgia stuck with calling her Red. It used to kind of bother the redhead, seeing as a couple people she didn't particularly like used to call her that, but after a while, the nickname had grown on her.

"Nothing. Everything's fine."

"Bullshit. Stop lying to me and tell me what's going on."

Double damn. How did the black haired Goth always know when something was wrong? Especially when it came to the damned dream… Kim sighed, propping her chin on her knees.

"I really don't know Georgie… I haven't done anything to bring that memory to surface."

"_Hello_, demon that shoots green fire from her hands!"

Kim winced. That really caused Georgia to frown. She hesitated a moment, seeming to fight whether to step forward or stay put. Jenny saw it and moved forward to envelope Kim in a hug. She knew Georgia cared about Kim as much as she did. She also knew that the black haired Goth had a seriously hard time letting any other emotion other then anger or irritation show. The Goth always had an internal battle within herself, and Jenny didn't like to see either of her friends so vexed. That being so, Jenny was usually the one to step forward and comfort the redhead while Georgia belted out the questions.

"Kim," murmured Jenny. "You need to let us know what's going on."

Kim growled slightly, trying desperately to hold back tears.

"I already told you, I don't know! Seeing… her didn't help matters, but it shouldn't cause the dreams." Kim rubbed her forehead with the heel of her palm. "Yeah, she pissed me off, but in all honesty, what happened that night wasn't any fault of hers. She wasn't even there. She shouldn't bring those kinds of memories back."

Georgia shook her head.

"She was still linked with him. Because they worked so closely together, you can't help but think of him when you think of her. Going all heroic again doesn't change that matter. All your memories of her deal with her being with him."

"So in other words, I'm fucked." Kim hid her face in her knees again. "Damn dreams..."

Jenny pulled Kim closer, stroking the tangled red hair.

"Kim, you want me to stay with you tonight?" she asked. "I know it makes you feel better when you have someone to cuddle up to."

Kim picked her head up enough to glare at Jenny.

"I don't need a fucking cuddle buddy."

Jenny couldn't help but grin.

"No? I could have sworn I saw that tattered old pandaroo on the top of one of your boxes you brought in."

Kim blushed and looked away, muttering something under her breath.

Sandra clapped her hands, getting everyone's attention.

"Oh! We could have a slumber party in Kim's room!"

Kim and Georgia's eyes widened in horror.

"No way in HELL!" they both shouted at the same time. It sent Jenny and Sandra into fits of giggles.

"Why not?" she asked innocently. "It would make Kim feel better and we would feel better because we could keep on eye on her."

Jenny nodded.

"It's a win, win situation," she remarked, earning a glare from the redhead and Goth.

"I repeat my earlier statement," said Kim. "No way in hell."

Sandra took them all by surprise by running across the room and leaping onto the redhead's bed, giggling when she bounced upon landing.

"Too bad, you're stuck with us," she said impishly, fixing her crooked glasses. Jenny grinned and looked pointedly at Georgia. Georgia crossed her arms and lifted her chin, trying to look threatening.

"Don't even think about it," she warned. Jenny didn't even hesitate. She raced off the bed.

Georgia tried to sidestep her, but Jenny dodged around her and kicked her square in the back. Georgia went flying towards the bed. Before she could regain her balance and flee, Sandra grabbed onto her hands and yanked her onto the bed.

"Come on up!" the genius replied cheerily.

"Fucking cheaters!" growled Georgia as Jenny came up behind her and grabbed her ankles. She flung Georgia's feet onto the bed.

Kim eeped as Georgia landed squarely in her lap. Jenny didn't help matters by sending the bed quaking as she jumped on it, letting her legs spread over Georgia's, effectively trapping the Goth.

Georgia muttered a few choice words before giving up and glaring at Kim.

"What?" Kim asked. "_I_ didn't do anything!"

"Hug me like your pandaroo, and I'll kill you," she said tersely. She made sure add the other two in her glare. "That goes for you two as well."

Jenny grinned again and flopped down on her back beside Kim on the large bed. She sighed.

"Damn it Red, your bed is so much bigger and comfier then mine!" she whined. Kim rolled her eyes.

"If you try stealing it, I'll kick your ass."

Jenny smirked.

"I'd like to see you try."

Kim huffed.

"You take Georgia's threats more seriously then mine?! That's totally not fair!"

Jenny laughed.

"I see Georgia keeping her threats a lot faster then I see you doing it. Besides, you haven't been around for a while. I've gotten stronger."

Kim fell onto her back with a huff.

"Yeah, and I just let myself go." She shook her head. "You think I don't train while I'm not home?"

Jenny tapped her chin.

"Maybe?"

Kim managed to twist her torso enough she could look at the blond and poke her in the ribs.

"I'm not you, Sloth."

Jenny huffed playfully and slapped Kim's hand away.

"Stop picking on me and go to sleep."

Kim smirked and relaxed into the soft mattress.

"Georgia, you're not sleeping in my lap. Either lay on the bed properly or I'll kick you off in the middle of the night," threatened Kim. Georgia glared at her.

"Kick me off and I'll burn your pandaroo."

Kim's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't!"

Georgia couldn't help but smirk evilly.

"Try me," she dared. Kim swallowed and proceeded to ignore the Goth making herself comfortable on her lap.

----

Morning rolled around to find them mostly in the same positions as the night before, but Georgia had moved to use Kim's stomach for a softer pillow. She was the first to wake, and finding herself in her current position, grumbled and scrambled out of the bed, waking the others in the process.

"Hmm?" mumbled Kim, rubbing her eyes. She spotted Georgia heading for the door. "You making pancakes?" she asked hopefully. Georgia stopped to look at the half asleep redhead. She mentally sighed at herself. Kim's unguarded sleepy face and tousled hair were almost as bad as her puppy dog pout.

"Yeah, be sure to be up when they're done, or I'm throwing them in the garbage." She retreated out of the room. Kim grinned sleepily and snuggled back into the blankets with Jenny and Sandra, who had woken up but gone right back to sleep.

"She only does that for you," Jenny mumbled grumpily. "The only thing she made me was a knuckle sandwich."

Kim could only chuckle.

Half an hour later, all three of them stumbled into the kitchen. Georgia was standing over the stove, spatula in hand. She didn't even look up as she flipped a pancake and the others took a seat at the table. Sandra yawned behind her hand, causing the other two seated to yawn as well. Georgia turned to give them all a measured look.

"Why are you half asleep? Aren't you guys usually the morning types?"

"Good company does tend to make it more tempting then when left alone," remarked Jenny. Kim and Georgia rolled their eyes.

"You wouldn't care either way. I think she was referring more to Sandra and me anyway," said Kim. Sandra grinned.

"Yes, but I'd have to agree with her statement. It is nicer to sleep in when there's someone there to steal warmth from."

Kim shook her head.

"Well, you're going to have to remember it well, cause it's not happening again." She glared at all of them. "My room. My bed. No more sleepovers."

"Awww!" whined Sandra and Jenny. Georgia snorted and brought over a plate stacked high with pancakes.

"Shut up and eat," she commanded. "I don't want to hear whining this early in the morning."

Kim happily took the first four off the pile, leaving the other two only two apiece. Jenny shot Kim a glare, but the redhead paid her no mind. All three dug in, Kim the one with the most gusto. She paused between one bite, swallowing roughly.

"By the way, our job is on tonight. Sandra found their sub's hiding spot. She's going to fly us there by way of jet then we're going to get to start the mission."

"Who's doing what?" asked Georgia, flipping another pancake.

"Jenny and I are going to be providing a distraction, and possibly a second heist, while you get the sub."

Jenny lifted a delicate eyebrow.

"A second heist? For what?"

Kim's grin turned feral.

"There was something good about my dream. It reminded me that there's another item GJ has that is of great interest to me."

Jenny's brow scrunched up in confusion.

"What is it?"

Kim smirked playfully, diving back into her pancakes.

"You'll just have to find out."

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Whatever."

--Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean—

Kim hung out over the water with a wide grin on her face. She motioned behind her with her free hand while clutching tightly to the doorframe with the other. Sandra kept the jet hovering in one spot over the water. Jenny stepped forward. With a nod, they both jumped from the jet and into the water. As soon as the two figures disappeared beneath the waters surface, Sandra pulled on the controls and sent the jet high into the night sky, keeping it out of sight.

Kim and Jenny swam down into the darkness. No light other then a faint glow from a single small flashlight could be seen. The beam cut through the darkness only a few feet, and if they hadn't had a map digitally imprinted into their watches, they wouldn't have known where they were going.

They both glanced periodically at their watches, making sure to stay on track. Every now and then, an unidentified shape would swim past them, causing their pulse to pick up pace a few beats until they were certain it wasn't a manmade object. Of all things they were worried about, it wasn't any kind of fish or shark that might be swimming about. They were certain they could handle that. The unpredictable contraptions people came up with though, were worthy of being alert about. Especially when it came to GJ.

Their pace slowed as a sleek surface came into sight. Kim pointed, flashlight reflecting slightly off the metal surface. Jenny gave her a thumbs-up. Both women swam faster. Trailing the light across the body of the machine, Kim and Jenny kept an eye open for what they were looking for. They were glad that the submarine was currently going a near standstill pace.

Kim stopped, grabbing hold of a small jutting handle on the side of the sub. She motioned Jenny over, who quickly found a hold on another one across from her. Kim pulled out a small device from the bag on her back. She placed it on the side of the submarine and pushed a button. Soft static filled her ears.

"…late watch!" complained a stranger. She listened through the earphones built into her helmet as the conversation continued. She smiled when the two people speaking agreed to go grab a bite to eat.

"Not like anyone knows where we're at!" joked the other person as their voices faded. Kim held up her hand for a high five. Jenny grinned and met Kim's hand with hers. It made things easier with no one by the door.

Kim waited a couple more moments to make sure that no one was there before putting away the one device and pulling out another. She opened a panel next to the rectangular hatch between the two women. She held up the second device in front of it. She watched a red light blink several times before turning a solid green.

With a hiss, bubbles escaped into the water around them, momentarily blinding them. Next, with a nearly silent groan, the door fell back then slid to the side. Kim and Jenny swam inside, closing the door behind them. A yellow green light held them caged in while the water started draining out of the small room. As soon as it was empty, the yellow light turned green. The second door opened.

Kim and Jenny grinned, slipping into the empty room on the other side of the door. After checking to see if the coast was clear, both women released their helmets and removed them. Keeping silent, they both secured their helmets in their backpacks before grabbing a towel from a rack on one side of the room. They carefully moped up the pools of water they had left and dried off their feet and suits to the best of their ability. Satisfied with their work, they proceeded through the narrow corridor.

Kim glanced at her watch. She frowned. She motioned for Jenny to lean closer.

"Didn't we expect a distraction about this time?" Kim murmured in her ear. Jenny glanced at her watch and smirked.

"Chill out girl. We have another ten minutes."

Kim looked at her watch again. She grinned sheepishly.

"Whoops."

She turned around again and picked up her pace. They expertly moved through the submarine without detection, quickly making it to their destination. Jenny frowned moodily.

"This is too easy," she murmured. Kim glanced at her and grinned widely.

"The fun's just about to start," she answered softly.

A LOUD alarm started going off, and Kim and Jenny nearly covered their ears. Rolling their eyes, they watched as the sub came to life. People started milling about everywhere.

Kim and Jenny quirked an eyebrow as everyone suddenly stopped as the alarm changed. Everyone put their hands on the wall, bent their knees, stood on the balls of their feet, and opened their mouths. Amused, the two women mimicked the position, giggling to each other. Then the sub jerked suddenly, nearly knocking them from their feet. The only thing that kept their footing was the funny position they'd been in. It also proved to save them a mouthful of teeth. Jenny did chip a tooth though, much to her irritation.

Kim pushed a button on her watch with a scowl.

"What the hell was that?!" she hissed as Sandra's face came into view. Sandra grinned impishly.

"Just a simple missile."

Kim rolled her eyes.

"We want the sub WHOLE!"

Sandra laughed.

"That's why I only shot one. Now, quit complaining and get back to work. Rover is already at the hatch."

Kim shot her one last glare before cutting the connection. She scanned the area and motioned Jenny to stay low and wait there.

Kim cocked her head to the side, earning several little pops from her neck. Rolling her shoulders in relief, Kim grinned and stepped out of her hiding spot and into the new room. She slid up to the hatch in front of her and opened it. She watched in dark amusement as she stepped inside and saw the lone chair swiveled around at the sound of her entry.

"W-wha…! You're dead!"


	5. Chapter 5

Shego was staring at her living room wall in silence. She'd been sitting in that same chair for the past two hours. Her brother, Mego, had been sitting with her. And no matter what he said to get her attention, she didn't respond.

He sighed irritably. How could the simple sight of the ex hero, Kim Possible, cause his sister to act like this? Grant it, they had a history of being arch enemies when Possible was still a hero and Shego was a villain. But it didn't make sense for the girl to suddenly pop up and look thoroughly pissed at Shego. Shego hadn't done anything to deserve that.

He rubbed his forehead. Two days of the same type of behavior had driven him to actually visit his unresponsive sister. She had refused all their calls, and didn't participate in any of the current missions. She just isolated herself in her apartment and only moved to feed herself with whatever was close at hand. Hego was certainly not going to be the one to come because he always seemed to piss their sister off. The Wegos had no idea how to handle a situation like this. They would have probably ended up destroying the apartment un-supervised. And though he was self centered, Mego did have a soft spot for his sister. She was their only sister, after all.

"Why…?" murmured Shego. Mego sat up immediately, eyes locking on his sister's unmoving figure. "Why is she so hateful?"

Mego looked at her in confusion.

"Possible was hateful? It didn't look like it. She kicked that bug robots butt."

Shego's eyes dragged themselves from the wall to his face.

"You weren't there… She's… completely different. Her eyes… her eyes looked so full of rage."

Mego rolled his eyes.

"You squashed the woman's car. What do you expect her to be? Happy?"

Shego shook her head.

"No, it's more then that. Her whole personality seems different. She, she didn't seem to care at all what was going on around her. She only attacked that bug because it was coming after me and would have ruined her car further."

Mego huffed.

"Exactly, her car was nearly totaled. I would have been pissed too."

"Damn it Mego!" Shego slammed her fists onto the chair's armrests, nearly breaking them. "Listen to me! I know Kimmie! I know how she thinks and I know how she acts! She would have never turned a blind eye to what was going on! She would have killed that bug, helped me out, and then gone to see if there was any more trouble to take care of before leaving!"

Mego kept silent a moment. Shego hadn't been this heated about anything since Possible was declared dead. She had been saucy, cranky, and an all around pain in the ass until the news came. As soon as she found out, it was like watching the woman visibly crack like porcelain. How did he know? He had been the one to deliver the news.

Yes, he and his brothers had kept tabs on the green skinned woman. She was family, so of course they kept an eye out for her. Grant it, they didn't agree with her profession, but they figured she'd run out of steam eventually and at the very least, calm down enough to visit on holidays and find a semi steadier job.

But anyway, they knew she had some weird connection with Miss Possible. Anyone who saw the two interact knew that SOMETHING was there. Grant it, it was hard to decipher if it was hate or attraction, but either way, they were in their own little world whenever they got to fighting. Hego had grudgingly admitted that their sister would probably like to know what had been filed in GJ's report on the incident. He had given the folder to Mego and told him to take it to her because she had been just getting back from vacation.

Mego frowned. That was the worst moment in his life. To watch his strong, defiant sister crumble into nothing but an empty husk frightened him. It was crystal clear to him that very moment that Shego, at least, was attracted to Kim Possible. She didn't cry in front of him. She didn't say anything. She just shut up and walked out of the room. She was like the living dead. She grew pale and thin, her haggard appearance worsened by un-kept hair and tattered fingernails as days passed. Her reign of terror as a villain was abruptly cut off.

Hego had made one of the fastest, unthinking actions for his sister that he had ever made, regardless of consequence. He went directly to GJ and demanded to speak with the Director. He argued until he was hoarse to let Shego be absolved of all her crimes and given into their care. The argument was he would remold her into the hero she used to be, saying it would be easier because she was emotionally unbalanced at the time. In the end, GJ couldn't let the opportunity pass. Shego became free that very day.

It had taken them nearly a year to finally get Shego into some semblance of a life. She started participating in missions and speaking to her family. It was still like pulling teeth, but they clung to her with the certainty that they wouldn't let go. She had even started gaining back some of her sarcastic nature and flippant way of flitting into and out of conversations when she desired to.

And now this.

"What do you want me to say, Shego? I don't know what's happened to her. I don't even KNOW her. How do you expect me to add any proper input without something to go off of?"

Shego sighed and folded into the chair.

"It's just… It hurt to see her that way, Mego. It frightened me. I was a villain once, but even _I_ wasn't that uncaring."

Mego frowned, rubbing his chin.

"Do you think she's become a villain? Is that what you're saying?"

Shego hesitated. She had nothing to go off of herself… except that look in Kim's eyes. That look said it all. Shego's eyes had a similar look when she had been a villain. She knew it so well because she saw it every time she looked into a mirror. Kim's eyes had been similar, but not the same. Kim's eyes seemed deeper, darker, hiding some kind of pain that refused to be let go.

"I don't know what I'm saying. I just think that she's changed. A lot. She's not the Kimmie I used to know."

"What do you plan on doing? Are you going to confront her again? It didn't look like it went so well the last time."

Shego glared at him, green eyes flashing.

"Look, I really don't know what's going on, but I'll be damned if I don't find out!"

Mego smiled for the first time. It took Shego completely by surprise because his smile was warm and caring. The man was so self centered, she never thought it was possible for him to actually be compassionate towards anyone else. Especially not to his ex villain sister, who had kicked his ass more times then either of them could remember.

"That's what I've been waiting to hear."

Shego blinked, slightly wary.

"What do you mean?"

"Since I delivered the news of Kim's death, you've been nothing but a hollow shell, a pale shadow of your former self. I've been waiting forever for you to stop being piteous and take charge of things. In all honesty, Miss Possible's death has always been of strange interest to me. After all, the girl was a fantastic hero. To suddenly be killed, in something seeming so impossibly easy to escape, I've wanted to go investigating on my own since I read the report. All I was waiting for was your overbearing obnoxious attitude to return. Who else can 'persuade' unwilling helpers?"

Shego stared at him.

"Mego, sometimes I really don't know what to think of you," she said. He grinned his usually cocky grin, and Shego felt a smirk of her own grace her lips. "Well, since she's obviously alive, we do have some investigating to do. And after speaking with her, I don't think she'll be providing us any help. We're going to have to get the basic idea on our own. She can fill us in on the smaller details after that."

Mego lifted an eyebrow.

"You think she'll actually say anything, even if we throw the rest of it on the table?"

Shego shrugged nonchalantly.

"She's my Princess. I know how to make her talk."

"Like you so valiantly accomplished last time?" he asked tauntingly. She smirked confidently.

"Last time was a bit of a jump start. If she's anything like me, she'll definitely accept a challenge. And, like me, will get so carried away with that challenge, she wont recognize the other creeping up behind her."

Mego tapped his chin.

"It does sound intriguing. Did you want all of Team Go involved, or were you planning on keeping it secret?"

Shego paused, long nails absently tapping on the armrest.

"I think we'll keep it between us for a little while. Once we start uncovering some evidence, then we'll drag in the idiot and annoying multipliers."

Mego's grin widened.

"Good. I'll go ahead and start working on pulling the report again. I'm sure GJ won't mind if I ask for it to figure out how Kim survived. It will give us a place to start."

Shego waved a hand flippantly.

"I'll go take a look around the site. Maybe I'll see something that GJ wouldn't have thought to take notice of."

Mego stood up and crossed the room. He gently placed a hand on Shego's shoulder, once again taking her by surprise.

"Take care to hold onto her this time," he said softly. "She isn't immortal, and I really can't watch you lose her again."

Her jaw nearly dropped. He smiled gently and squeezed her shoulder. Without saying anything else, he exited the apartment to begin his search.

(A/N: Ok, what you think of that chpt? I figured it was high time I brought Shego into the mess. After all, this is a kigo fic. Also thought I'd show you how Shego is reacting to everything. Again, let me know what you think. lol, also, tell me if you want the next chpt to revolve around shego or kim, or both. Toodles!)


	6. Chapter 6

Kim laughed. It wasn't a joyous sound. It was dark, almost cruel.

"Dead? Do I look dead to you?" Kim sniffed and looked down at the person disdainfully.

"Does that mean that Stoppable is around too?"

Kim's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the person almost squirmed, sure they would burst into flames at any second.

"Don't you dare utter that name. You have no right."

"I have every right! Ron was my friend too!"

"Friend?!" scoffed Kim. Her muscled tensed. "Some friend you are! You lied! You tricked us! You lead us right into a trap! A trap he didn't make it out of! Don't you DARE think you have a right to speak that name!"

Kim growled, and the person sank back into the chair a little to attempt to put more space between them.

"He was my friend…"

"Exactly!" hissed Kim. "Was! As in he's no longer around!" Kim snarled. "You make me sick!"

"Why are you acting this way?! I didn't mean for any of that to happen!"

"Stop bull shitting me!" yelled Kim. "Just stop it Wade! You knew EXACTLY what was going on! And don't try telling me you didn't! You knew everything was a setup because GJ told you ALL about it!"

Wade flinched. He had hoped she forgot, that she wouldn't find out. He felt guilty enough as it was. He was actually more shocked she was alive then he'd cared to admit. He thought for sure he'd be the first to know.

"How…" He swallowed. It wasn't exactly the brightest question to ask the most dangerous person in the world.

Yes, Kim has always been high on the "danger" list. Her skills had always been proof enough for that. Even when she was playing hero, her skills kept her high on the danger list. GJ always had to be prepared for the worst, after all. As impossible as it seemed for THE Kim Possible to turn villain, it obviously happened.

"How did I survive?" asked Kim lowly. Wade sank a little bit further into the seat. Even though if he stood, he'd tower over her and outweighed her in muscle, he wouldn't stand a chance against her in a fight, especially as enraged as she was.

"Something like that," he murmured.

"Ron saved me," she said, eyes piercing his. "He pushed me over the edge of the cliff when everyone opened fire." She ground her teeth. She still wasn't over the sight. It still haunted her dreams. It was torture to watch Ron being torn apart by bullets, smiling down at her as she fell, hands still clutching the line that would keep her from plummeting to her death.

Kim frowned.

All in all, Kim Possible died that day. The teen hero was lost forever. There would be no returning her. The day Ron's blood stained her cheeks as she fell, was the day she stopped living. He held onto the line as it went taunt and smashed her under a jutting part of the cliff and into the cliff's surface. He forced himself to hold that line until she managed to get a shaky grip on the sharp rocks. As soon as he felt the slight slack when she took her own weight, he let go. He let himself crumble, which sent him falling off into the abyss. The plus side to that, their killers thought they both died, for the jut Kim was under hid her from sight. And, they couldn't see the line that dangled below her after Ron fell.

A mixed blessing. She would never have traded Ron's life for hers if she could have helped it. It broke her heart that he had so selflessly saved her, when she had always taken it upon herself to rescue him. She never thought she would have to do anything solo. And when she finally reached the top of the deserted cliff, loneliness stormed her. She fell to the ground in broken sobs and bitter curses.

Yes, their killers had spilled the beans. They told them exactly who sent them and how they'd been set up. What did they have to fear? They had Kim and Ron cornered and at their mercy. They feared no revenge, no threats.

Kim scowled. Her hands were balled so tight that blood was seeping between her fingers and dripping onto the steal floor. Wade was so alert, he could distinctly hear each drop as it hit. It was a nerve wracking sound.

"Kim…"

"Don't KIM me!" she roared. Her anger was getting the better of her. She had tried not to let it, but it had been kept chained far too long. She'd waited for this moment for ages, it seemed.

No. She mustn't loose control. She was better then that. Even as a criminal, she would show the utmost professionalism and keep her cool.

"Just give me what I came for." She held out her hand. Wade looked at her blankly.

"What you came for?" he echoed.

"Yes, what I came for. Give me the item from my last mission as teen hero."

Wade's eyes widened considerably. His eyes darted around the room, but they were alone.

"I, uh, don't have that in my possession.

"Don't feed me any more crap Wade. I'm done listening to it. You have the item. Give it to me." She waved her open hand in a small circle for emphasis. "I'm not asking." She added when he shifted uneasily.

"Kim, I can't give that to you. You know what it can do-"

"Exactly. If you don't cough it up in the next thirty seconds, I'm going to break your arm and proceed to tear this room apart. If you still refuse to help, I'll break both your legs and toss you out of this submarine without any air. Understood?"

Wade's legs trembled as he rose and slowly made his way to the couch. He kicked the bottom then touched an unseen button under the armrest. A hiss escaped below as the couch slid away and revealed a safe door. Kim prodded Wade with her finger when he hesitated. He swallowed and bent down to the panel. In a quick mashing of buttons, the safe door popped open.

"Hand it to me," ordered Kim. Wade gingerly reached into the safe and pulled out a five by ten box. He winced as he passed it over to Kim. Kim smiled. He couldn't look her in the face. Heck, he couldn't even look himself in the face in a mirror.

"You got what you wanted," he said hoarsely.

"Not quite everything," she said. She hauled him to his feet by his collar. "I want this sub as well."

She shoved him towards the door. Wade blinked in shock, stumbling and catching himself on the door. He whirled around to face her.

"You can't be serious! There are over sixty people on board! You can't just steal a sub!"

"It's a small sub. I'm quite certain we can take it just fine."

"But what about its crew!" he demanded.

"Not to worry. We'll surface." She smirked. "And you all should be able to swim."

He gaped at her.

"Not for endless hours! We'd all drown before a rescue team could find us!"

She rolled her eyes.

"It's not my problem. Now, get moving." She pushed him into the door. He growled, but there was nothing he could do. He opened the door and stumbled into the hall.

She pushed him all the way to the top hatch where the rest of the crew was huddled together. To his shock, only one woman stood guarding them, two pistols in hand. He tried to think of a way to escape, but a voice broke over the speakers.

"We're about to break the surface. Prepare to open the hatch."

Kim smirked.

"You heard her. You," she pointed at the person at the ladder, "prepare to open the hatch. You," she pointed to two other people with something in their arms, "prepare to open those as soon as you hit the water. The rest of you, start putting on your lifejackets."

Wade spotted a large pile of lifejackets hidden in the handful of crewmembers. Lifejackets were quickly dispersed and donned. Well, at least they weren't being ditched without some method of survival. It was still unlikely they'd be saved any time soon, but it was better then drowning in the first six hours.

There was a jolt, nearly causing many of the crew to loose their footing. A crackle of the speakers filled their ears.

"We've surfaced. Go ahead and ditch the excess baggage."

Kim smirked and waved a hand at the hatch. The man at the top swallowed then began to open the hatch.

The smell of fresh sea air filled their nostrils. It would have been more welcome if they weren't being ejected out of their current residence.

One by one, each man filed out of the hatch and onto the top of the sub. Kim and the other girl followed them out. They watched as everyone huddled in the center of the surfaced sub.

"Don't just stand there. Get ready to jump. If you go one at a time, you'll get separated. Line up, join hands, and take a leap," ordered Jenny. She was grinning from ear to ear. The crew did as they were told. Just as they were about to jump.

"STOP!"

All heads whipped around to find Shego dropping out of a helicopter and onto the sub's open top. Kim's eyes flashed. Without a second thought, she marched right up to Wade and kicked him solidly in the butt. It was like watching dominos fall.

Wade drug the whole crew into the ocean, and there was nothing Shego could do about it, for Jenny fired a warning shot at her.

Shego growled, hands glowing dangerously. She watched helpless as the last of the crew disappeared into the water with a splash. She turned a burning gaze on Kim.

"How could you do that?! He was your friend!"

Jenny glanced at Kim. Kim nodded at her and discreetly waved a hand at the hatch. Shego barely took notice as Jenny slipped back into the hatch and secured it tightly. Kim turned her full attention to Shego.

"Friends don't kill each other, Shego."

Shego snorted.

"And that's why you kicked him off the submarine to die?!" she demanded. Kim shrugged.

"He won't die. Their lifejackets all have homing signals, and I gave them two lifeboats to get out of the water. They'll be rescued in record time."

"That still doesn't mean you kick him off a sub!"

"Are you here to argue morals or are you here to fight?" asked Kim. She crossed her arms over her chest, quirking an eyebrow at the reinstated hero.

Shego came out of her fighting stance, hands dropping to her sides unlit.

"I'm here to talk."

Kim frowned. That wasn't the answer she'd been looking for. Fighting she could deal with, fighting she wanted. Talking… talking lead to answers she didn't want to give and reasons she didn't want to explain.

"Talk is boring." Kim launched herself at Shego. "This is more entertaining."

Shego blocked the punch out of reflex. She ducked a kick for her head, and leapt over a sweeping foot. She ducked under one punch to slide behind Kim. But before she could retaliate, Kim lashed out with a kick, sending Shego flipping backwards to avoid it. Kim followed, her smirk similar to the one Shego used to wear.

They fell into their old, familiar dance. It was almost a relief, to both of them. They'd missed this. They'd missed it a lot. The easy, no-thinking reflexive duel was so comforting, they'd fallen into it without pause. It had gotten them through bitter days, days that seemed to never end that took all their strength to contend with.

You wouldn't think that such a thing as fighting would be so relaxing, so calming. For the worlds most famous rivals, it was just so. It was the one thing that bound them, though everything else around them might give way beneath their feet. It had always kept them afloat, on their toes. It also always kept them connected with some unseen force. Even now, they'd somehow come to meet on opposite sides once more. Though the roles were reversed, it made little difference to them right then, they were still brought together for the one thing they did best. They fought.

It always seemed an endless battle, and endless struggle for the upper hand. In essence, it was. It was a never ending battle between them, though one of them wished there was more to it then just fighting. How does a person enjoy fighting so much with a single person if there wasn't something more behind it? She'd always wondered. She always wondered if her rival had such thoughts as well. How she wished she could dive into her rival's mind and see what lay hidden there.

Her rival was too hidden. Her face gave away nothing. Granted, hers didn't give away anything either. But internally, she'd agonized over it for countless hours and numerous days. It was like a never ending dream. No, more like a haunting. Her rival haunted her dreams, even her daydreams. She did that a lot recently. She would space out and daydream. She could only be glad that it hadn't gotten her into trouble yet. She guessed it would only be a matter of time before it did.

A random kick from Kim sent her thoughts tumbling. She hadn't been paying attention. So, it would seem, it got her in trouble a lot sooner then she thought. She sighed and ducked a punch. Irritated that the redhead was obviously trying to avoid her, she decided to force the issue a little.

She tackled Kim and pinned her arms above her head. Kim could feel the water as it soaked through her clothes, the sub's surface still damp. She growled up at the raven haired girl.

"Tricky move." She tried to escape, but Shego held her fast.

"I want you to listen to me without trying to take my head off," replied Shego. She frowned down at the redhead. "What's gotten into you, Princess?"

A familiar twinge made Kim frown. Damn that twinge. She forced her attention back to the woman above her.

"What do you mean what's gotten into me? What's gotten into you? I mean, the world's most popular villainess has suddenly turned hero again."

Shego just stared down at the redhead, unknowingly making her captor nervous.

"I was a hero before, Pumpkin. Turning back to that role wasn't such a big deal. You turning criminal is. What happened?"

Kim scowled. She dared not look away. Showing such weakness would be unforgivable, especially in the presence of the raven haired woman.

"Does it matter? You're good, I'm bad. What else do we need to know?"

Kim had to fight hard to keep a straight face when Shego's eyes darkened with sadness. The raven haired woman never looked sad, never looked anything close to caring. It was a face that Kim had never seen, and it was very hard to ignore it looking down at her.

"Kimmie, heroes don't turn to villainy without a good reason. I should know. Yours must be something big, for you wouldn't be here, wouldn't be trying so desperate to hide behind a mask so similar to my own."

Kim had to suppress a tremble. The woman was too close to guessing, to knowing. She couldn't share her horrors. She couldn't let reason shake her from her task.

"Shego…" Damn, she hadn't meant to utter that name. It only brought the raven haired woman to life, brought their eyes to meet. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look away. Double damn. "Shego… There are a lot of things you might understand, but you're not understanding this. We're enemies. We're rivals. We're on opposite sides, like we've always been."

Instead of deterring the raven haired woman, it only seemed to coax her on.

"And if we were on the same side?" Shego asked softly.

Crap. That one sentence brought too many thoughts, too many questions to mind. It brought back too many memories she thought she had long buried. She couldn't suppress her tremble this time. It traveled through her quickly, but it wasn't so subtle that Shego didn't detect it. Shego caught it immediately. It caused her eyes to soften even more and she dipped her head closer to the redhead's.

"Princess, must we always fight on opposite sides? Just once, do you think, maybe, that we could-"

"Red! Get your ass inside! We're diving!" Georgia was glaring at them from the hatch.

Kim couldn't figure out of she was relieved or irritated.

Kim kicked Shego away from her and quickly dashed to the hatch. She jumped inside and let Georgia close it soundly behind her.

(A/N: So, what you think? Catch you off guard? Or did you see it coming? Mwahahahaha! I love writing!)


	7. Chapter 7

The feeling of Georgia's eyes on her was unnerving. It didn't help that the woman was supposed to be maneuvering the sub through some tricky caves. She tried to ignore the Goth. She kept her eyes focused on the big screen in front of them, hands idly rolling the brass casing of an M-14 round between her palms.

It was an odd habit that she'd picked up. For some weird reason, it did help calm her. It kept her hands busy and let her mind wander. She'd developed it that day Ron died. While she'd been balling her eyes out, she'd spotted the empty brass shells shinning at her from the dirt. She had been drawn to them, eyesight blurred with tears. She picked one up and absently rolled it between her hands.

That's where her plans had started. That moment, a new Kim was born. She wasn't filled with "I'm here to save the day", she was filled with "I'm going to hurt you for what you've done, if not kill you". If you had seen her, sitting there, huddled on the edge of the cliff, clothes and hair in disarray, covered in blood, you would have thought she was an escapee from a psycho ward.

Kim couldn't help but smirk absently. She had been a terrifying sight that day. She was like a walking zombie. She'd frightened her best friend, Monique, so bad, the girl had moved, entirely shutting herself off from her old life, from Kim. Kim, in return, went into hiding. After all, the day Ron died was the day before graduation. It wasn't hard to disappear, to run away and leave everything behind. Monique did give her a small donation, before splitting. It had been enough to get the redhead out of town, start a new life.

Kim brought her legs up and crossed them in the chair, her hands still rolling the brass shell.

She had run into Georgia first. It hadn't been a typical run-in. Georgia was having a family function. It was public knowledge that Georgia was not the favorite of the family, something Kim had found amusing, though did nothing more then take note of. After all, Kim wasn't there to get to know the family. She was there to get to know the family assets.

Kim took advantage of the commotion to slip in to steal a few things from the giant household. Well, she had attempted to. When Georgia came up behind her and asked what she was doing, Kim had nearly wigged out. She hadn't been expecting anyone to notice her, let alone follow her. It was twice as bad when Georgia calmly offered to show her where the really expensive stuff was.

Kim's train of thought was "what the hell?!"

That same thought repeated itself at least a hundred times in the next four hours. Georgia helped her pull off the heist. She helped Kim steal half the family jewels, three expensive paintings, and even a prized classic GTO. They took off like bats out of hell, treasures in tow. When they finally stopped for the night, Georgia got out of the car, lit up a cigarette, and walked away. Her parting words were, "Go to Larken Street to sell the paintings. See you later, Red."

And Kim thought she saw the last of the young heiress.

Kim sighed, pausing to rub her head.

…And so entered the creature Kim so nicknamed Sloth.

Jenny had been targeting the Banks household for about a month. She'd finally figured out the security system, the guard schedule, and even the dogs' nappy time. She had everything down pat. So, when Kim rolled in, completely blind, and ran out with all the loot Jenny had been targeting, Jenny flipped out. She gave chase, far faster and more efficiently then the Banks did.

Jenny had tailed Kim for two weeks, finally sneaking up on her when she'd paused at a motel for a good nights sleep. Kim noticed the presence, but driven by curiosity, waited for her shadow to appear. Appear Jenny did, barreling into the room with two Springfield 45s, hazel eyes narrowed and teeth bared.

"Give me my shit!" she growled, hair filled with twigs and leaves, makeup running from the rain.

Kim had done probably the stupidest thing in the book. She burst out laughing.

That lead to a one-sided shootout, a second quick get away, with a blond tied up in the passenger seat. Leave it to Kim to somehow end up in a situation like that.

Kim couldn't help but roll her eyes at the memory. Jenny had been like a cornered cat, and it had taken Kim a full six hours to get the girl drained enough she could at least talk to the girl without her trying to tear the redhead to pieces. And for some weird reason, Kim decided to split the bounty. She didn't want the car, though it was "nice". She even tossed in all of the paintings. It left Jenny dumbstruck when Kim walked away from the GTO, bag of jewels in hand.

Two months later, Jenny struck again. She made more of a scene by announcing she had help. She didn't say who, but her smirk, and the obvious painting in her hand, was clue enough for the redhead. So, Kim reluctantly sought the blond out and demanded to know what the thief was thinking. After Kim finished her short rant, the blond threw out her hand, a grin on her face.

That was the day Kim began a career in thievery.

"What the hell happened up there?" demanded Georgia, completely throwing off Kim's train of thought.

"Huh?"

Georgia glared at her, completely ignoring the throng of twisting and turning underwater caves they're crawling through.

"What happened? You completely let her hand your ass to you!"

Georgia's nostrils flared. Her hands clenched the controls so tight her knuckles were white.

For a breath, Kim could only stare at the woman.

Georgia, in all her righteous fury, was a deadly and beautiful creature. You could feel her power coiling around her, waiting in tense anticipation to be set free. The woman herself, even in all her Goth regalia, was a stunning sight. She liked her black jeans full of random holes, a chain or two gently bumping her hip. Her tight black tank tops were always accompanied with either a black netting shirt or a form fitting silk dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair was arranged in a feathered out wave, dark eyeliner bringing intent focus to her stunning blue eyes. On her feet, a pair of black leather designer boots.

Kim's favorite form of teasing was nitpicking the woman's expensive taste. The woman did like her clothing to be of certain caliber, not taking into account it's all in black.

Georgia's hand lashed out before Kim could snap out of her reverie, effectively smacking Kim on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Kim jerked away instantly, rubbing the back of her head. "What gives?!"

"Stop staring into space and answer me! What the hell happened up there?!"

Jenny was staring as well, hands busy with cleaning one of her pistols. Kim glanced at the blond, trying to earn sympathy, but the blond merely mirrored Georgia's look.

"You're not getting out of this one," said Jenny. She paused only to check the barrel of her Beretta before fixing her gaze back on Kim. "That was some weird ass shit to be happening in the middle of a mark."

"Doubly so, for someone you claim to have left behind in your past," added Georgia.

Kim glared at both of them.

"Do tell," chimed in Sandra, her face popping up in the corner of the big screen.

Kim sighed. She wouldn't be able to get out of this without _some _sort of explanation.

"Guess she's not quite as far back in the past as I thought," answered Kim. She flopped her head back onto the chair and stared up at the metal overhead, if only to avoid Georgia's inattention to navigating the caves.

"An understatement," snorted Georgia. "You two obviously have some sort of connection going on."

Kim frowned, head snapping up to glare at Georgia.

"Damn it Georgie! We've always had some weird connection! It's some weird hero/villain, good versus evil thing! As far back as I can remember, there was always something odd about her when we fought."

Georgia didn't flinch under the glare. She merely looked on.

"So, explain why you were nearly making out on the deck," remarked Jenny, earning an even darker glare from Kim.

"We weren't making out!" Kim growled. Not exactly a route she wanted the conversation to take. Damn them. Kim closed her eyes, fingers digging into her forehead at an attempt to contain the headache already building there. "Shego and I go back to the time before I met all of you, before the shit hit the fan. She's a part of the life I left behind."

"Again, reinstating the fact that you obviously didn't leave her behind very well, if she's still chasing you."

Kim couldn't argue that. But nor could she explain why it was the green skinned woman was following her. Could she?

"I honestly thought I had," she finally answered. "I thought once I died, nothing from the past could touch me." Kim shivered, involuntarily recalling the feeling of Shego's hands as she held her pinned to the sub. Freakin' A. She didn't need the visual for that. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "To be honest, we've always been such polar opposites, I thought she would rejoice the day I died. I never expected her to suddenly come up and start changing things on me."

"Changing things how?" asked Georgia, deceptively muted. Kim regarded her quietly a moment.

"Example, pulling what she just did." Kim waved a hand in the air. "Acting like she did when she found out I was alive, back in Go city." Kim shook her head. "I really thought she hated me. At the very least, I thought she would take advantage of my absence and go on a stealing spree."

"And instead, she ended up going all heroy again," finished Jenny. She checked her pistol again, carefully looking for any missed grease or dirt. "To be honest, the way it all adds up, it's like she's had a thing for you for a while now. The fact you're back alive probably has her wondering about what could have been if she'd made a few different choices in the past." Jenny set down her pistol, eyes locking with Kim's. "Question is, what are you going to do about it?"

"We can't exactly have a hero running around, can we?" said Sandra, tapping her chin with a bemused look.

Kim gave them both an irritated look.

"What exactly am _I_ supposed to do about it? I'm many things, but I won't kill anyone unless I have a good reason to do so."

Jenny sighed in exasperation, throwing an arm in the air.

"That's not what I meant at all. I'm asking you what you're going to say to the woman. She's obviously got a thing for you. How are _you _going to respond?"

Kim blinked. Slowly, her jaw muscles began to tighten. She had to look away, to lock her eyes on the dark caves looming before them.

What would she say to Shego? Are they asking how she felt? Did they want to know what she honestly thought of Shego? Did she even know what she thought of the green skinned woman?

She had tried on numerous occasions to clarify what it is she felt for her arch rival. It had always been a comical balance of envy and respect. Yes, envy. The woman had the freedom to do whatever she wished. The world was at the woman's grasp. She could do anything.

That isn't to say Kim was incapable of anything. It was simply the matter of the repercussions that would follow if Kim did anything too out of "hero" character. She couldn't go anywhere or do anything without that title hovering over her. She always had to think of the public outlook. She always had to remember she had an image to uphold.

Shego built her own image. Even when she was a hero, Shego had an attitude to bite, a sarcasm and whit that let everyone know to expect the unexpected of her. She had the world in the palm of her hand, from day one.

Yes, Kim had read into Shego's past. It had been a hard task, but she had diligently pursued the matter, teaming up with Wade, when he'd still been apart of their team. They made amazing progress, able to piece things together from the little information they found. It was plenty, though, to see that Shego hadn't changed much, except in the matter of turning to villainy instead of crime buster.

Kim could see Shego re-entering the hero gig. She knew it would have taken something big to get her to do it, but apparently that "thing" had happened. She only wished that "thing" that everything was pointing at, wasn't her death. If it was as Jenny had said, that would open a can of worms the redhead had long ago sealed.

"I don't know what Shego plans," she said, still avoiding them. "I'm not going to give her the chance to try anything, however." Kim's eyes narrowed. "I won't let anything stand in my way. My past is history. I've got other things to deal with." She abruptly stood, hands clenched at her sides. "I'm going to go scan out the sub, make sure all's well and get an idea what we've got to work with."

Before anyone could deny her, Kim left the room.

Georgia and Jenny exchanged looks. Sandra stared at the doorway.

"Well," she remarked, adjusting her glasses. "There's obviously something going on there. Question is, how are _we_ going to help her deal with it?"

---Cliff side on the western coast---

Kim stared out across the water, music blaring through her headphones above the wind. Her hand was clenched around the hidden pendant. There's a slight crease in her brow.

She'd tried to forget that day a thousand times. She was still failing to do so. The nightmares didn't help. She also shouldn't have kept the necklace. She shouldn't have let Shego take her by surprise. She… had gone over this more then enough times.

She sighed, turning her back on the breath taking sunrise, retreating into the darkness of their disguised hangar/dock. She paused once inside, allowing time for her eyes to adjust.

"Red?" called a voice, pulling her out of her seclusion. Sitting on a crawler, hands covered in grease, was Georgia. She watched Kim closely, carefully noting the flash of emotions that crossed it.

Kim tried to pull herself together, to hide the unease building in her, but it was too late. She could already tell. Now that her eyes were adjusted, she could make out Georgia's worried frown. She sighed.

She crossed the hangar, stopping just in front of the sitting Georgia. Georgia stared up at her, face once more smoothed into an impassive mask.

For a while, all they did was stare at each other. It was some level only they had managed to connect on. It was like they didn't have to say anything at all. At moments like that, words weren't needed. You only felt the presence next to you, the body breathing in and out, the heart beating steadily in the silence. They connected on a level that simply said "I'm here". That was it. "I'm here".

For some reason, that very realization brought tears to Kim's eyes. Damn it, she hated crying. She forced them to remain unshed, shoulders trembling slightly from the effort. For some reason, simply knowing she had someone, knowing she had Georgia… it… well, it didn't do anything more then add to her confusion.

Georgia and she had done several duo things that Jenny never heard about. They had seen and experienced things they couldn't hope to convey to others. Georgia and she had gone off on their own several times, Kim often just leaving Jenny a note saying she was going on a hunt. Jenny didn't even know Kim was with Georgia. They ran around recklessly, aimlessly, doing what ever suited their fancy. Often times, it involved brawls, gambling, and very close encounters with death, confinement, and torture. Yes, they had done some very stupid things. Why? A simple thrill, a simple seeking of something they couldn't name, couldn't identify.

For some reason, that blind searching was what brought them so close. It's what made them understand each other on an unspoken level. It allowed them to look at each other and identify the familiar feeling of "that missing piece". For having the world at their feet, they had been unable to name that feeling of longing, of need. It always drew them on.

Georgia could see it in Kim's eyes right then. When either of them was feeling particularly low, alone, the other could read it instantly. She didn't hesitate.

Yanking Kim off her feet, she pulled the redhead into her lap. Her arms wrapped around the strong shoulders, chin resting on Kim's red curls. She rocked back and forth, ever so slightly.

"You know," began Georgia, "the past isn't always something we should fear."

Kim stared off into the growing sunlight that couldn't quite reach their hidden alcove.

"How so?" asked Kim, her defiant streak falling away to the comfort of Georgia's embrace.

"Sometimes, you have to look to the past to find a road to the future," answered Georgia. Kim snorted softly.

"Did you pick that up off of one of your fantasy games?"

Georgia shrugged slightly.

"I'm just saying. If we're always running from the past, we're never going to see the future that's in front of us."

"But what if the past brings up things that remain uncertain, things that could destroy the very sanity that's kept one stable?" asked Kim.

"Would it really drive you mad? Would you let it control you like that?"

Kim frowned, eyes filled with worry.

"The past is filled with as much uncertainty as the future."

"But only the future will reveal those uncertainties and make them truths."

"If you're lucky," mumbled Kim. After another pause, Kim craned her head back a bit to attempt to see Georgia. "What if you don't want the future it would lead to? What if you might like another one better?"

"That's what they call choice, Kim. If you don't want something, you have to be strong enough to stand up and say so, not allowing others to hinder your judgment."

Kim moved her hand to clutch Georgia's black silk sleeve, thumb running up and down the soft material.

"But… even that future is uncertain."

Georgia buried her face in Kim's hair.

"All futures are uncertain, Kim. The choice is which one you're going to fight for."

"And so it is the dilemma I started out with," answered Kim, sounding slightly irritated.

"Are you trying to decide between this or being a hero again?" asked Georgia, her breath moving Kim's hair and causing it to tickle the Goth's nose.

"No. I… want two things I'm not certain I could ever have."

"Why not have them both?"

Kim smirked, eyes staring into space.

"It's not possible to have both. It's one or the other."

"Why?"

Kim pushed away, daring to look up into Georgia's face.

"Because, that's life." She didn't want to move, but she forced herself to stand up. She stretched her arms high above her head, allowing the kinks to sort themselves out. She finished her stretch and shook herself out. She turned to find Georgia getting to her feet. Their eyes met.

"You tell anyone, especially Jenny about this, I'll kick your ass," said Georgia, deadpan. Kim smirked teasingly.

"What will you give me?"

Georgia stepped forward, causing Kim's eyes to widen. A hand lifted and gently rested on Kim's shoulder. Kim found herself holding her breath, Georgia's face lowering close to hers.

"Between us," Georgia said softly, "a simple confidant." She pulled back and walked away, leaving Kim to release her breath and wonder.

**A/N: **Oi', I uh… lol I would really, REALLY like some reviews on this. I uh, kinda sorta have an idea where I want it to go, but I would definitely like some opinions on how it's going so far. If there is any confusion about the last little scene, it shall be explained… or just review/PM me and ask me WTH?! And if I didn't say so before, it is a Kigo… it's just got some building to get there. Can't really just have it pop into existence, can I? … I can't remember what else I was going to add here, so er, laterz!


	8. Chapter 8

"Hold steady!" shouted Kim, hands gripping the safety line tightly. She clung to the side of a hovercraft, the wind buffeting her from all sides. She cursed silently, trying to figure out how she was going to type in the commands when it required both of her hands just to stay aboard.

"Tell your girlfriend to stop firing at us then!" bellowed Georgia. Georgia was piloting the hovercraft. The top had been removed because they needed the mobility to do what they were about to do.

Kim scowled, managing to free one hand to throw her old house keys at Georgia and hit her in the head.

"She's not my girlfriend!" she shouted back. Georgia growled at her and jerked the controls to the side, effectively sending Kim rolling towards the back of the hovercraft. Kim barely managed to stop herself before she got too close to the jets on the back and become a crispy-critter. As soon as she righted herself, she and Georgia had a glaring match.

"Can't you two wait till we get home?" yelled Jenny. She was standing on the top of the aircraft, strapped into the large mounted laser. "If you two don't quit clowning around we're not going to get our mark!"

Kim rolled her eyes and managed to get herself back into position. Georgia grumbled to herself but fought to still the bucking hovercraft.

"Remind me why you all picked a day that is a gale storm?" called Sandra. She sat hunched down in the backseat, arms covering her head.

"Luck of the draw!" Kim called back. She managed to find her footing and detached the d-ring from her harness. She smirked up at the others before she propelled herself off of the hovercraft.

"Where the hell are you going Red?!" shouted Georgia. She almost over corrected and sent them tumbling into the falling redhead.

Kim's voice picked up over their headpieces, sounding amused.

"Why, I'm taking care of our unwanted guests," she yelled. They watched as Kim rolled and managed to catch herself on the multi colored jet that whizzed past them.

"You're going to kill yourself one of these days," grumbled Georgia, her voice just loud enough to be heard. Kim's laughter filled their ears.

"Sorry, but I'm all for the adventure! Ain't no way I'm going to be held back now!" They watched the jet whiz by again, Kim making steady progress to the jet's underbelly. They all held their breaths, knowing full well that Kim could fall and have nothing to catch her before she hit the ground. Georgia growled, unable to watch the redhead's death defying antics.

"Jenny, get your ass down there and start opening that hatch!" she shouted.

"What?! Why me?!"

"Cause Red decided to bail on her job! You gotta take her place!"

Jenny grumbled, having had entirely too much fun shooting the laser as the jet passed each time. Granted, she was having more fun hitting random targets, such as signs and the like, then she did hitting the jet. Hence, they had left quite a wake of destruction behind them.

She un-strapped herself from the laser and began making her slow decent to the rig that Kim had left behind. When she finally reached it, she discovered that Kim had at least left the controller behind, or else Jenny would have made the trip for nothing. She sighed and began fooling with the little remote. Shortly after, she let out an exclamation of joy.

A rumble shook the hovercraft, drawing Georgia's eyes away from the banking jet.

The bottom of the hovercraft opened up and something large dropped out from the bottom. Several cars swerved on the street below to avoid the falling object. It hit the ground and left a good sized indentation in the pavement, cars veering away and crashing. Georgia smirked at their antics, giving Jenny a wave to get her to return to the laser. Jenny grinned happily and made her way back to her big toy.

"Sandra, it's all you!" called Georgia, getting the young genius's attention. Sandra pouted, having the wind whipping her sandy colored hair all over the place. With a huff, she pulled out her Portable Desktop, as Jenny liked to call it. She began typing furiously, hands a blur. Images and commands blipped across the screen far faster then an average person could keep track of. After several seconds, she gave a small triumphant cry.

"Toto is moving!" she cried happily. Georgia grunted, turning the hovercraft around and to the left.

Kim came plummeting out of the sky, arms spread wide. Georgia maneuvered the hovercraft beneath the redhead, effectively catching her and sending the hovercraft rocking back and forth. Kim lay sprawled on the large couch in the back, a handy thing when they weren't actually on missions. Kim sat up with a huge grin on her face.

Georgia saw the jet pass again, and just as it passed, a small explosion under its wing sent it helter-skelter. She nodded to herself, though ever so slightly curious where Kim had gotten the explosives and where she'd been carrying them.

"Are we on?" called Kim. Sandra gave her a thumbs up. Georgia pushed a button and the tinted window canopy came sliding back into place, effectively cutting off all the bothersome wind. Kim looked and Sandra's disgruntled face and mussed hair and burst out laughing. Sandra huffed and pretended to primp herself up.

"Not all of us can pull off short hair," said the genius, sticking her tongue out at Kim. Kim grinned and moved up to the front seat next to Georgia.

"Drop Jenny off at the right there." Kim pointed at a row of buildings, the one she was pointing at hidden in the shadow of a taller building. "I'll go take her, her parachute."

Kim reached out and grabbed a bag and turned around for the hatch that lead to the laser. Jenny was cackling, firing wildly at any targets she deemed evil.

Kim lifted an eyebrow, looking at the obvious trail of fried signs, demolished cars, and destroyed benches. She sighed. Her gun happy Sloth… She shook her head and cleared her throat. Jenny eeped and missed her target, hitting some model square in the forehead on a billboard. Kim laughed.

"I know you're having a lot of fun, but your part is about up."

Jenny snorted, crossing her arms in a huff.

"Coming up? You skipped out on yours! I had to do it for you! I missed several chances at getting my targets."

"Innocent targets, that had absolutely nothing to do with our mission," pointed out Kim. Jenny opened her mouth then let it snap closed.

"Grr, fine. Give me that stupid parachute." Jenny huffed and snatched the parachute and begin putting it on. Kim went back in to sit next to Sandra while Jenny dropped down into the hatch to the left, making her way to the outside of the hovercraft. "By the way!" called Jenny, the sound of wind filling their headpieces. "Today is taco night! You're buying Kim!"

"What?! I bought last time!"

"You owe me! Cause I had to do your job!"

"And I had to do yours! If you were actually shooting at the jet, I wouldn't have had to abandon ship and go take care of it!"

"…"

"That's what I thought!"

"Shut up!" Jenny reached up and pulled her goggles down. "Catch ya' later!"

Jenny stepped off of the hover craft. Kim grinned, her knees bouncing up and down in excitement as she sat. Sandra glanced at her in amusement, hands still typing away furiously at her computer.

"Georgia, circle around so we're on the opposite side of the building." Kim was practically squirming in her seat.

Sandra was watching a live feed from the mechanical creature they had constructed. It was about ten feet tall and held the fire capabilities of a tank. She controlled the entire thing from the hovercraft, keeping careful watch for hackers or signs of attack. She grinned.

"Looks like GJ is responding, as hoped," she said. Kim grinned darkly, immediately going still. She moved over to the couch and lounged in it comfortably while Sandra quickly uploaded the video links. A screen popped up in front of Kim, the image filled with the GJ agents preparing to face off with their creation. Kim's smile became fierce as she leaned forward towards the screen. "Opening comms," said Sandra. "Open."

"Agent Will Du, how nice to see you again."

Will's head jerked up, eyes widening at the familiar voice coming from the large robot.

"Kim Possible?!"

A screen came to life on the robots chest. Kim sat beaming down on Will Du.

"Please, just call me Kim. I don't go by the name Possible anymore."

Will's face had paled considerably, eyes transfixed on the screen.

"T-that is impossible!" he said. He pointed an accusing finger at her. "It was reported that you died!"

"Funny how people can alter the facts, isn't it?" she said coyly. Her eyes danced with fire. "As much of a shock as this is, you aren't the one I wish to speak with. Nor are you anyone I can actually hold a reasonable grudge against."

"What are you talking about?!" he demanded, still trying to digest the fact that THE Kim Possible was alive and speaking to him. He had thought the earlier videos were a hoax.

"It's nothing you need to worry your pretty little head over," answered Kim with a smirk. "Onward Toto, we have a party to crash."

Sandra grinned as she began moving the robot forward. Will shouted orders, calling his men into action. But, no matter what they fired at it, nothing even scratched the robot. Toto kept walking, bullets bouncing off, electric impulses nullified, and any type of blockade was removed with ease. Will began to sweat. The robot couldn't reach the building. It couldn't! Or it would be his head.

Will swallowed and pulled a rocket launcher out of another agent's hands. Taking careful aim, he fired at one of the robots feet. The robot staggered, and just as he was about to cheer, the robot righted itself and fired off its own rocket launcher from it's arm. Will barely had time to doge as the rocket made contact. The car he had been standing by was blown into the air and on top of another car, upside down. Will trembled as he got to his feet.

He didn't understand. What was going on? Why was Kim back? Why had she been reported as dead? Why was she attacking _them_? Did she become a villainess? Did she change sides, like Shego did? None of it made sense. Will pulled out his communicator.

"Wade, this is Agent Du. What the hell is going on?"

Wade's face flashed onto the screen, his muscled figure slumped in defeat.

"What do you mean?" asked Wade. He wasn't even typing away at his computers, something Will had long past come to associate with the young genius. Peculiar.

"Take a look," said Will. He flashed his comm at the surrounding chaos, making sure to capture Kim's face in the shot as well. When he brought the screen back to his face, Wade had paled considerably. "Kim Possible is alive. What I'm not understanding is why we were not informed of this, and why she's suddenly attacking us."

Wade shook his head, looking terrified.

"She's really done it…" he whispered. "I thought maybe… I hoped… It's all my fault…" Wade began ranting, and Will didn't have any idea how to handle the young man. If anything, Wade's actions only confused him further.

What did the young genius mean? What had she done? What was his fault? What had happened?!

Will scowled. He didn't want to contact her. He hated contacting her now days. The very idea made him cringe. However, seeing as his men didn't make a dent in the thing, he had no choice. He sighed, wincing as he hit the proper call button. He straightened to attention, face becoming emotionless as the call connected.

"This is the Director. This better be urgent," came the cold voice. Will mentally shivered. Once, that voice at least held some warmth to it, a hint of caring. Now, there was nothing there at all. It was hallow, empty. He hated the sound of it.

"This is Agent Du, reporting sir. We have a situation down town."

"Report," she barked, voice still emotionless as a cold knife.

"There is a ten foot tall robot rampaging down Main Street. We also have a live feed from Kim Possible, who seems to be alive and well. By my understanding, it is her controlling the robot. They are headed straight for LG's Computer Company, sir."

"Have you not tried to neutralize the robot?" demanded the Director, eyes boring into Du.

"Yes sir, we've tried all available means. Nothing has slowed it down or stopped it. We even tried the EMP grenades, sir."

The Director didn't even flinch upon hearing Kim's name. She didn't even seem to acknowledge it. Will almost frowned, barely catching himself, lest he get berated.

Nothing was adding up. Ever since that day that Kim was reported dead, the whole organization changed. It suddenly wasn't quite so secret. It suddenly wasn't run by caring individuals. It suddenly took the life out of all of it's agents. No one wanted to be in GJ anymore. Everyone hated it. They wanted out. The missions got uglier, the bosses got crueler, and the person they had all turned to, hoping she would fix it, became distant and cold. People saved the day still, but nobody was saving theirs. And, no matter how hard he dug, he couldn't find answers. Even the Director, who he used to look up to and admire, had shut him out completely.

"Team Go is on their way," retorted the Director, her voice still frozen. Before he could say anything, she cut the connection.

Will's jaw clenched, eyes closing in a moment of forced control. One of these days, one of them, he would get sick of taking useless orders. One of these days, he wouldn't care what the consequences were because they couldn't be worse then what was already happening. One of these days, he would confront Betty about everything, because she obviously knew exactly what was going on.

He spotted a familiar group of people trotting over to him. He sighed, getting his mind back onto figuring out how to defeat the robot.

"Team Go, reporting," said Hego, giving Will a sloppy salute. Will had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Sometimes, he really couldn't handle Hego's weird superhero ego. But, he did learn that the best way to deal with Hego was to humor him, so he saluted back.

"We have an issue, as you can see," said Will, his eyes darting to the robot that was getting dangerously close to the LG Computer Company. "We've tried everything we can think of to stop it, but we haven't even slowed it down. Also-"

"You son of a bitches!" roared the amplified voice of Kim. Everyone wheeled around to find the robot standing unmoving in the center of the street. They quickly ran around the front to see what the heck was going on. "You think bringing THEM here is going to sway me?!"

Will and Team Go froze in their tracks. Standing in front of the LG Computer building is the Possible family.

"Kimmie-cub! That's not how a young lady talks!" reprimanded redhead's father.

Kim rounded on her father so fast that it made everyone take a step back in shock.

"Don't you dare Kimmie-cub me! You have no room to reprimand me for anything!" she hissed, eyes alight with furry. He quivered under her glare, shrinking down slightly from the robot's shadow. "I've renounced my name! I'm not a Possible any more! So don't you DARE think you have any connection to me what-so-ever!"

To emphasize her point, the robot continued its path towards the building, clearly not intending to stop.

"Wait! Kimmie!" cried her mother.

Kim ignored her, eyes dead set on the building in front of her.

"Damn it," cursed Shego, gaining Will's attention. "What the hell is going on?"

"You're guess is as good as mine," answered Will, taking Shego by surprise. She hadn't thought she spoke loud enough for the others to hear. "Do you think you can stop that thing?" he asked, waving a hand at the robot as the Possible family scattered to get out of its way.

Shego looked it up and down with a frown.

"The boys can handle the robot. I'm going after Kimmie." Shego's lips were set in a thin line, eyes narrowed as she began scanning the sky.

**A/N:** Haha, had fun writing this chpt. Hope you like.


	9. Chapter 9

Kim scowled darkly. Her eyes remained locked on the screen, a single finger gently tapping the armrest. She knew that she only had one chance to get this right. If she messed up, the "good" Director would understand her plan and quickly move to intercept her. She couldn't afford that. Too much rested on this.

She slammed her fist down on the armrest, making the other two occupants glance at her.

"Your girlfriend is headed this way," commented Sandra. Kim's head snapped around, shooting a glare at the girl. Sandra sighed. "Whatever she is to you, you do have something to resolve between you."

Kim turned away, eyes narrowing on the screen in front of her. Indeed, she could see Shego making her way swiftly around the building in search of the hovercraft.

Kim stood abruptly, glare still fierce. Sandra silently shook her head, turning her eyes back to her own screen. The glow of the computer lit up her glasses, hiding her eyes and emotions.

"Jenny," commanded Kim. "Make sure you get the mark."

Kim whirled around and headed for the hatch.

"Kim," called Sandra, effectively halting the redhead. "Don't actually die this time."

Kim blinked. Her brow scrunched up and she crossed the hovercraft to stand behind Sandra. The girl, no, young woman, still didn't turn from her computer screen, eyes still hidden. Kim sighed.

"You know the plan if I don't," she remarked lowly.

"Are you planning to die?" asked Sandra. Her voice was masked by deceptive calm.

"No. But even if I do, this has to pull through. If it doesn't, things will get worse."

Sandra lowered her head, hair falling in front of her face. Kim winced as soon as she heard the small sniffle.

"Kim, I can't piece you back together again. Please… please don't make me go through that again."

Kim looked away guiltily.

She had met Sandra in an entirely different manner then she had Georgia and Jenny. Sandra had actually been kidnapped by a new villain on the rise. Kim had stormed the place to find information, as well as more funds. She had gone in solo, her past too tied into the mission to pull in others. She had chosen to keep Georgia and Jenny, who still hadn't actually met face to face, in the dark.

Kim had seen Sandra once before, at a distance. She'd been on a mission as a hero at some science convention. She had been wandering around and had randomly heard this and that about the, used to be bashful, girl standing in her father's shadow at the podium. But, she had dismissed the shy girl quickly. After all, the girl wasn't part of her mission.

When she'd stormed the lair, covered in far more wounds then she'd liked, she was brought up short upon sighting the sandy haired girl huddled on the floor by a large computer console. Having known she'd seen the face somewhere before, her mind began backtracking as she fought off four guards that rushed her. A voice, however had called her out of inner digging.

She had whirled to find one of the men responsible for Ron's death. To say she was furious was an understatement.

The man had risen in the villainy field quite quickly. He was well known for having a large fortune to spend, and willingly spent it towards his conquering goals. But Kim knew better. He didn't need to strive that hard to accomplish his task. All he had to do was finish the job he helped start to begin with. He had to kill Kim Possible.

Kim snorted at the memory.

"Can't kill someone already dead," remarked Sandra out of the blue, startling both Georgia and Kim. Sandra looked up, tears in her eyes. "You said that." She looked pointedly at Kim.

For a few seconds, Kim was a little weirded out by how effectively Sandra seemed to be following her train of thought. She shook it off.

"I did. And I meant it."

"But you're wrong," remarked Sandra. She shook her head harshly, a drop of warm water hitting Kim's hand. "If you don't be careful, you _will_ end up dead this time. You were only lucky it was a couple bullet holes last time."

Kim sighed, crouching down to lean on the back of Sandra's seat, making the two of them nearly eyelevel. She stared into the sandy haired girl's eyes. Of them all, Sandra was the youngest. She was several years their junior, and Kim had always felt the difference. More so because Sandra was roughly the same age as her brothers. She winced internally. Not a good thing to compare to when she was trying so hard to distance herself from them.

Sandra was right though. Kim had staggered away from that fight with several bullet wounds, and many other wounds that used to be foreign to her. After all, none of her enemies had used actual hand guns, knives, and automatic rifles. They'd always been rather harmless, once she allowed herself to digest that information. Their traps had always fallen through, and their plans were mostly childish.

Dealing with a real villain had opened her eyes. And, though she tried to ignore it, her hero self couldn't leave the younger girl behind. So, though her main target had escaped with several wounds of his own, she turned to the girl left behind. Sandra had actually backed away in fear, the blood covered and beat up looking "supposed to be dead hero", quite a sight to behold.

"We have to get out of here," she'd rattled off, her voice slightly hoarse. She licked her lips and tried to blink to clear her vision. "It's not safe."

"I h-heard you died," Sandra whimpered, eyes not leaving the ex-hero's. Kim couldn't help but snort in disgust.

"Exactly why I'm coming back to kick some serious ass. Bastards are gonna pay." She had wobbled a little, and she half expected to collapse right then.

Sandra did something she hadn't expected. The girl opened her computer up and began hacking into the main console. After several seconds, she snapped it closed and turned a burning gaze back to Kim.

"I've got all their files and have planted a virus. I also know of a place we can go for help."

Kim growled, swaying a little.

"I'm not going to any hospital. I need to be dead."

Though that seemed rather skewed logic, Sandra took it to mean that the hero wanted to remain out of sight, for whatever vengeance she had in mind. After all, if no one knows you're alive, no one's going to be expecting you, right? Sandra sighed and stood up. She had marched right over to the ex-hero and gently took her hand.

"No hospital. Just a friend. They can fix you up, and we can hide away until you're better." Sandra began gently pulling the redhead after her. "There's a hangar this way. Maybe there are some vehicles left."

And so, they had escaped. They arrived at a conservative home, and they were taken very good care of. But, when it was finally time for the redhead to leave, Sandra had been adamant about going with the redhead. That, of course, couldn't be done. Kim already knew she was skirting the line of villainy. To drag in her young friend would only be foolish. So, forcefully telling the girl she was too young and it was too dangerous, Kim had left in the middle of the night, making sure to leave the young girl behind.

And now she'd drug her in anyway. Kim sighed, rubbing her forehead. The nineteen year old had an irritating way with logic, and Kim couldn't help but admit she did need the extra help if she was going to accomplish what she wanted to. She dropped her arm to stare levelly at Sandra.

"You know I don't make promises I can't keep," said Kim. "I can do the impossible, but even I know I'm not immortal."

Sandra frowned, eyes retreating to her lap.

"If you don't watch your back, they're going to get you. Sis, I understand why you have to do this, but I seriously wish you'd think of another way."

Kim huffed out a breath, dropping a hand onto the teen's head.

"Trust me, I've tried. Unfortunately, all my other plans would have larger casualties, most of who are innocent people. Villain that I am, I won't risk lives needlessly."

Sandra still looked unsettled, her hands wringing themselves together in her lap. Kim sighed. Be damned, she had started to consider the brat a sister too.

Kim reached up and unclasped her necklace. She reached out and grabbed Sandra's hand and slowly lowered her treasure into the teen's hand. Sandra's eyes grew huge, darting wildly to Kim's calm face.

"Tell you what, I let you hold this until I get back. If I don't make it, you get to keep it. Sound fair?"

Sandra trembled, hand clutched tightly around the necklace.

"B-but it's-!"

Kim smirked, trying to ignore the unsettled feeling in her stomach. She could feel Georgia's eyes on her, but she didn't remove her gaze from Sandra.

"Hey, trust me, if I make it through, I'm definitely coming back for that. So, be expecting me to barge in at any moment. Meaning, you better damn well take care of it." Kim stood, ruffling the teen's sandy hair.

Her eyes met Georgia's. They both stared at each other silently a breath before Kim winked casually at the Goth and spun on her heel. Damn, did it hurt to leave her new family behind. She knew all too well how attached she'd gotten to them. She also knew that she was going up against far more then one secret organization. GJ was only half, maybe even a third of her problem. Not exactly a time to feel untouchable. More like a time to feel your mortality and past close calls breathing down your neck.

The visual sent a shiver down Kim's spine. She didn't hesitate, though, as she exited the ship and leapt off to free fall from the hovercraft. After a few seconds, she pushed a button and the jets on her shoes came to life. She flipped so her feet were first and her descent started to slow.

As she touched down, she saw Shego standing there, watching her patiently.

For a moment, Kim could only stare back. It was something else, to face the green skinned woman. It always had been. Kim had always been able to feel the woman's strength, her passion in each battle. It was a thrilling thing, to look into the woman's eyes and feel the energy burning there. It always sent a shiver of excitement through her.

Kim looked up, squinting at the shadowy hovercraft in the sun's glare.

Too bad for Shego that Kim couldn't lose this fight. She had too much to lose, and she was tired of losing.

She brought her gaze back to Shego. Without word, both of them lunged forward. They exchanged a quick volley of punches before Kim lashed out with a kick. Shego ducked and sent a fist up into Kim's gut, sending the hero flying backwards. Shego waited as Kim got to her feet, rubbing her stomach. The smirk on Kim's face wasn't friendly. It made Shego hesitate an instant too long.

Kim struck Shego hard upside the head with a roundhouse kick. Shego went flying. She rolled and landed in a crouch, feeling a bit dizzy. She had to shake herself to get her bearings back. Kim stood watching the hero, eyes patiently waiting for Shego to get up. Shego couldn't help but growl at the redhead's calm indifferent look.

It pissed her off. It pissed her off royally.

"What the fuck is your problem Princess?" she demanded, climbing to her feet.

Kim raced forward and sent the woman into a hasty retreat from a shockingly speedy volley of punches and kicks. She barely escaped without getting hit again. Leaping back she snarled, watching the redhead carefully.

Shego launched herself forward, driving Kim back with a strong kick. Kim had to back up further as Shego flipped backward then dove forward with her claws extended for a swipe. Kim jumped over a sweeping kick and lashed out with a kick of her own. Shego dodged it and grabbed Kim's foot, hurtling the redhead away from her. Kim rolled midair and kicked off a lamppost to soar at Shego with a flying sidekick. Shego tried to block, but was still knocked off her feet.

Both women paused the fight to circle each other.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What happened way back when, huh?" Shego was trying very hard to decide if she was willing to admit that she could lose this fight. The look in Kim's eyes was setting her on edge. It was even less human at the moment then hers had been when their roles were reversed. "Did you just wake up one day and decide the world wasn't worth saving?"

Kim sneered. She couldn't help it. It stung to think that her rival thought she could be that petty.

"There are reason's for my actions," she answered. She shouldn't say anything, but she couldn't seem to bite her tongue fast enough.

"Like what?" demanded Shego, claws still at ready. "What could happen in your perfect little world that would suddenly make you hate the very sight of it?"

Kim trembled with anger, pain, and guilt. She was so mad that she dropped her stance completely, hands clenched at her sides. Damn it, she really needed to get a hold of this temper.

"My… perfect… little… world…" Kim said in a strangled voice. Shego watched the redhead warily, slightly shocked at the shorter girls suddenly ragged breathing.

Kim threw her head back and belted out half insane laughter that echoed around them. It made Shego wince, a shiver running down her spine. That didn't bode well.

Kim's laugh instantly cut off, her green eyes burning as she turned her gaze back to Shego's.

"My perfect little world was torn apart, torn apart by the very people I thought were helping to protect it." She visibly ground her teeth. "People… people that were precious to me… they…" Kim snarled. "They stabbed me in the back." Kim glared accusingly at Shego. "Don't you fucking DARE lecture me."

Kim whipped a hand into the air, jabbing her finger at Shego. Shego's eyes widened as each jerk of Kim's hand sent small droplets of blood flying. Kim had managed to cut into her palms again with her fingernails.

"You-don't-know-SHIT!" growled Kim, her anger again rising to consume her. "The fucking people who were supposed to love me! The shit bags I worked so hard to help out! The whole fucking thing was an act! I was just their little toy! The world is their toy! Do I hate my dead fucking world?! Hell yes!"

Kim's green eyes smoldered, and it was all Shego could do not to tremble at the sight.

"What the hell did they do to you Princess?" whispered Shego.

Kim was taken so off guard by the remark that her anger immediately fell to the back burners as her hand hung in the air forgotten. It confused her more to see the horror stricken look on the black haired woman's face. It was blatantly obvious that the look wasn't because of Kim's anger. It was more like the frozen look of a realization you hadn't ever dreamed possible because it was just too horrifying to contemplate.

"Shego?" asked Kim, the raven woman's silence unnerving her. Shego blinked, glazed eyes coming back into focus.

"Who did this?" demanded Shego, her eyes suddenly alight with their own anger.

Fully confused now, Kim completely forgot her previous anger. Her hand dropped limply to her side.

"Part of it was GJ," remarked a new voice. Both women whipped their heads around to find a dark skinned girl leaning against a building nearby. Her chocolate colored eyes regarded them both coolly.

"Monique?" asked a bewildered redhead. Monique gave Kim a soft smile.

"Hey girl. Been a while."

Kim almost collapsed out of emotional surplus.

"What… the hell?" Kim's mouth hung open as she stared at the newcomer. Monique's grin spread at Kim's lost look. Damn, she'd missed her redheaded BFF.

Monique straightened to look at the other person standing there. She recognized Shego well enough. She'd seen thousands of reports during her thieving, as well as her hero days. She nodded to the raven haired woman.

"Hello Shego. If you're wondering what's going on, it's all rather complicated. Even I don't have _all_ of it figured out. Kim, probably, is the only one who knows everything. Even still, you're going to be in for one hell of a ride."

Shego frowned, tensely coiled in case of attack.

"Who are you? How do you know Kimmie?"

Monique smiled, uncrossing her arms to regard the woman calmly.

"Old friends from high school. I was…" Her eyes darkened a bit. "I was the first one she ran to when everything happened."

That didn't exactly put Shego at ease.

"What happened?"

"The world conspired to eliminate Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable," Monique answered, a flare of anger lighting up the chocolate eyes. Shego's eyes widened slightly. "They managed to succeed with Ron."

Both Monique and Kim winced as that was said. Shego looked back and forth between the two of them.

"Wait, back up. The _world_ conspired to kill her?"

Monique nodded, Kim remaining silent with her head bowed.

"GJ, a good number of villains, and even…" Monique's body tensed so tightly you could see her veins pop out at her temple and neck. "Even her own family."

Shego blinked.

"Huh?" she asked stupidly. She couldn't possibly have heard the woman right. Did she just say…?

"Kim's own family was in league with them. Her brothers weren't involved, but her mother knew, and her father actively assisted them with information. Her grandmother… actually volunteered to play hostage."

Shego just stood there. She couldn't believe it. It was too… ridiculous. She shook her head slowly, eyes not leaving the brown skinned woman.

"You're shitting me… No way… Her fucking… family?"

Monique nodded sharply.

"Now you understand why the hell she's so pissed."

Kim seemed to wilt. It was one thing to come to the conclusions on your own, but to have someone else lay it out point blank… How the hell does a person cope?

"Fuck… Princess…" Shego closed the distance between herself and Kim and wrapped the shivering girl in her arms. "The fucking bastards… I'm… I'm so sorry…"

Kim didn't answer. She couldn't. She was desperately trying to control her emotions. They'd gotten out of her control again. It was made doubly worse with Shego and Monique being there, Shego actually holding her and trying to comfort her.

It didn't make any sense to her. She thought she'd scared Monique off. She thought the girl would never look at her again. Shego… Shego and her were bitter rivals. They'd always been that. And yet… here they both were, reaching out to her, supporting her.

"Shit," she muttered without thinking. "My world really has turned upside down. My long time enemy is more caring then my fucking parents."

Shego felt a small smile tug at her lips at the comment, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was more bitter sweet.

"Life is fucking great, huh?" Shego said sarcastically. She pulled Kim closer.

"Yeah, just fan-fucking-tastic." Kim trembled then slowly pushed away from Shego. Shego could see the tears still in Kim's eyes. "I have to go."

She started to step away. Shego caught her arm.

"Go where? What are you planning to do?"

Kim paused, keeping her back to them.

"I'm out for revenge. You two… You two should pretend like you didn't find me and get out of here. Between everyone that's going to be involved in this, this place is going to be nothing but a big hole in the ground."

**A/N: **Okay, sorry this took a little longer to get out. Just been really really busy. Had to have more Kim and Shego in this, as well as more background on how Sandra got involved. Hope you like it.


	10. Chapter 10

"Mego, are you finished with that robot?" asked Shego, looking into her wrist communicator. Mego's face popped up on the screen, his eyes darting to his left every once in a while.

"Well, I can't find a way in, so I'm not really much use. Hego and the Wegos are basically trying to take it down."

"Good. I need your help. Actually, if I thought he'd listen, I'd have you pull Hego and the Wegos off the robot and come help me out."

Mego's eyes locked onto hers.

"What do you mean? What's going on?"

"You know we're fighting Kimmie and her friends, right?"

"Well, considering it was her face on that robot's chest, yes. Why?"

"Kimmie told me a little bit of what's going on." Shego's eyes got dark, really dark. It sent a shiver down Mego's spine.

"What's going on?" he asked softly, his sister's silence unnerving him.

"GJ's corrupt. So are Kimmie's parents. I'm shocked I haven't gone berserk and attacked Dr. Director myself, or even given her parents a few good whacks."

"So you're purposing that we help her? Is that it?" he asked, slightly unsure that it would work.

"Yes. That's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to tear GJ apart and help Kimmie in any way we can."

Mego frowned.

"Wait, back up. I know we want to help her, but you're talking about GJ."

"Not all of GJ is corrupt. The way Kimmie talked to Du kinda says she knows exactly who's doing what and that he's not involved. Wait, is Du there with you?"

She watched as he lifted his head to look around.

"Yeah, not far off. Want to talk with him?"

"Yeah, and hurry. We don't have much time before Princess starts her surprise party."

"There's more?!" He looked at her disbelievingly. Shego couldn't help but smirk darkly.

"She's seriously pissed off."

Mego paled slightly, even with his odd skin coloration. After a few seconds of bouncing around, Du's face came into view.

"Miss Go?" he asked in confusion, his dark brows drawn together.

"Du, you have two choices. For all our sakes, mostly Kimmie's, I hope you make the right one."

Will considered her soberly for a few seconds, obviously debating whether to trust the green skinned woman.

"What exactly are my choices?" he finally asked. It seemed he'd be finding out what's going on at last.

"Simple. You're going to either help GJ or Kimmie."

Will frowned.

"You're pitting me against my own organization? Seems rather foolish of you to even consider asking," he remarked coldly.

Shego frowned, her green eyes piercing into his.

"I'm not kidding," she almost growled out. "GJ has done some seriously messed up stuff, and I don't blame Kimmie at all for seeking out revenge. To put it short and sweet, GJ was the one that put a bounty on Kimmie's and Stoppable's head. Not only that, they also drug her parents into the action, receiving eager help in bringing about Kimmie's destruction."

Will blinked. He had to shake his head to try and make sense of what he was being told.

"You're lying," he said bluntly.

"Like hell I would lie about this!" roared Shego, her suppressed anger flaring to life again. "If you really think I'm lying, I dare you to ask your precious Director what the hell she's thinking! Ask her what was running through her head when she hired assassins to kill Kimmie and that buffoon! I'll be damned if she doesn't at least flinch!"

"And if you're wrong?" asked Will, trying to force himself to remain true to his course for as long as possible. He knew it wouldn't work though. He'd been having doubts about Dr. Director and GJ for a while now. His resolve only needed that final push, that last shred of evidence that proved everything.

"If I'm wrong…" Shego said slowly, her eyes momentarily looking heartbroken. "If I'm wrong, Kimmie isn't the girl we all thought she was."

Will looked away from the woman. Her sorrow bothered him. There was no way he could actually say Kim wasn't what she had always been, a hero. He'd seen proof of that for years. Kim had always proven her honor, her commitment to doing what was right. No matter what happened, even if Kim made a mistake, she'd always been there to make it right.

That, and the heartache in Shego's eyes put so much more emotion into… well, everything. GJ had become lifeless, empty. Dr. Director was just as bad. Nothing had any feeling to it anymore. Everything seemed pointless. But Shego was alive. Shego was fighting for what she believed was right. He couldn't say the same thing about GJ any more. If what Shego said was true, they'd been lying for years. And he already knew in his own heart that Shego was right. GJ was no longer worth fighting for.

But Kim was. Kim, even when she was royally pissing him off, she was always worth fighting for. She always had the courage to keep fighting for justice, even when she knew she was against all the odds. She even put up with him, when they both seemed at such odds with each other. All in all, it really wasn't a hard decision at all.

"I'll help you," he answered at last. "But, you have to promise me one thing."

Shego looked at him skeptically.

"What's that?"

"I want to be the first to confront Dr. Director. She has some questions to answer."

Shego frowned.

"I can't really promise that, seeing as Kimmie has a head start."

"Then we get there faster," he said flatly. Shego blinked. A slow smirk started to creep its way across her face.

"What'd you have in mind?"

---------------------

Kim stood in the cleared hallway, several unconscious people strewn about. She had told Shego and Monique to get out, but she had the niggling feeling they'd ignored her. Honestly, she hadn't really thought they'd listen, even as she said it. She'd been foolishly hoping that they'd at least listen to her this once.

She knew too well the consequences. Ron's blood splattered face flooded her mind, and she shivered.

She couldn't see Shego or Monique reduced to that. If she saw either of them so treated, she would… she would seriously go ballistic. There was no question. More so with Shego then with anyone else. Shego…

Shego brought up too many memories again, memories of a time the most complicated decision was whether she'd work up enough courage to allow herself to trust the world's most famous thief.

Her treasure, that necklace with the green pendant… that was her world. That was her world before it turned black, before it took away her dearest friend and left her cold and alone. Truth be told, that necklace was her world even after everything turned black. The necklace was a small jewel of hope, a tiny shimmer of a dream that more then likely would burn to ash before she even got a taste of it.

She clutched a hand to her chest, missing the pendant's small weight.

Shego had given her that pendant. It had been a gift, an odd gift, on her birthday, the last birthday she had ever celebrated.

------------Flashback------------

It had been late, like, three A.M. late, and a sound outside her window woke her up. Being as she was at home, she felt more secure, and leisurely went to pull back the curtains.

Imagine her surprise when she saw Shego crouching outside her window. If she hadn't slapped a hand over her own mouth, she would have woken the entire household. Shego had just smirked at her. The cool night air swirled around Kim as she stared at Shego, unable to figure out what to say.

"Surprised to see me?" purred Shego, leaning closer so her breath just brushed Kim's face.

Kim tried to think of something, anything, to say to the green skinned woman, but her mind was completely blank. Shego only grinned.

"Today is your birthday," commented Shego, her green eyes lit by the moon hanging overhead. "I have a gift for you."

Kim's brow had furrowed, head cocking slightly to the side. A gift? From Shego? In her head, she burst out laughing. There was no chance in the world the thief would get her a gift… right?

Shego leaned closer, almost making Kim back away. Only stubborn resolve made her stand still.

"But, your gift isn't here. You have to earn it," continued Shego. Her body remained coiled on the window ledge, each curve lit by the moonlight.

Kim was shocked to find herself actually admiring the view, and though she tried to get her mind back on track, she found herself unable to.

Shego didn't miss the curious stare. She almost preened under it, if she hadn't been so set on accomplishing her task.

"You have to come out to play though," murmured Shego, leaning even closer, so her breath just grazed Kim's ear. "Think you can trust me enough to find it?"

Kim wanted to blurt out no. She wanted to laugh in Shego's face and push her backwards out the window. She wanted to slam the window closed and crawl back into bed.

She put her lips close to Shego's ear and whispered quietly in her ear.

"What game are we playing?"

If she had seen Shego's face, she would have seen it split in a wide, happy smile. She probably would have been a little unnerved by it.

Instead, Shego leaned back and smirked mischievously, winking as she rolled backwards and dropped soundlessly to the ground. Kim stared at her wordlessly for a moment before racing to her closet and yanking on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. After she was dressed, and just to show off, she dove head first out the window. Shego's eyes widened as Kim easily pushed off the ground with her hands and flipped around to land on her feet effortlessly.

Shego smirked and rolled her eyes. Kim just grinned back, arms crossed over her chest. Shego then took off across the lawn and over the fence. Kim followed quickly, managing to keep pace as Shego took her for a wild run through the neighborhood and then across the city.

They spent the rest of that morning running around, mostly Kim chasing Shego in a blind game of tag. They each pushed their limits in pure elation as they scaled buildings, raced over rooftops, and basically used the city as their own personal playground.

When they finally came to a stop at the top of a church bell tower, the sun was just starting to cast a small pinkish glow on the horizon. Kim was dangling her feet over the edge, Shego leaning against one of the pillars. They had remained in companionable silence since they left Kim's room.

Without saying anything, Shego walked up and lowered the necklace in front of Kim then clasped it around her neck. Kim had blinked in shock, looking down and picking up the pendant as Shego stepped back with a smile.

"Shego!" Kim spun around… to find no one there. Kim's bottom lip trembled a bit. She looked down at the pendant again. "It's beautiful," she said softly. Hidden in the shadows below Kim, Shego smiled to herself.

--------LG Computer Company-------

Kim sighed. That day… had been the best one in her life. It even outdid the one Ron and her had spent together. She hated to admit it too. She loved Ron dearly, but he wasn't the one for her. They had tried it out, but she had a feeling they both knew it wasn't going to work out. They just weren't made to be anything more then best friends, except maybe brother and sister.

After that night, Kim had started quizzing herself. She spent hours grilling herself and her feelings. She broke everything down again and again, trying to figure it out. And then… it happened.

The world conspired against her. Ron died, and her world was torn apart. She wasn't thinking of Shego any longer. She wasn't thinking of who she was and what she loved most in the world. She wasn't thinking about graduation, or what college she was going to.

She was thinking of pain. She was thinking about her broken heart, her shattered world, and the people she was going to tear apart for ruining everything.

Kim trembled, sending a bone cracking kick into a man's chest. He flew backwards, crashing roughly into the wall.

Kim didn't smile. She didn't feel satisfied. She didn't even feel remorse. She felt anger. She felt betrayed. It twisted her mouth into a broken scowl.

Stalking onward, she sent a fist flying up into the jaw of another agent that burst from around the corner. She didn't stop. He didn't get up.

The next three agents attacked her all at once, but she spun around with a strong kick and sent them all flying. Before they could get up, she threw something small at them and pressed a button. All three jerked as a wave of electricity rocketed through them. It only lasted a breath, but it left them all unconscious.

Kim walked on, her eyes set on a goal no one else could see. She knew the person she wanted to see most was straight ahead, up the stairs on the twelfth floor. She knew it was the last door at the end of the hall.

"Kim…" mumbled a voice.

Kim's head snapped around, her eyes blazing. Her lip curled back with a snarl.

"What do you want?" growled Kim.

Mrs. Possible flinched, her body quivering slightly in fear.

This was her daughter? This was what she helped create? By not saying anything, doing anything, had she caused this? Was this all her fault?

It only took one look into Kim's eyes to find the truth. It took only that one look to feel the knife of guilt stab deeply into her heart, to feel the burn she'd refused to acknowledge before today. This… was all her fault. It made her weep, her sobs filling the empty halls.

"Oh Kimmie… I'm so sorry," she sobbed, hiding her face in her hands. She couldn't bear to see the truth, the anger in Kim's eyes. She couldn't bear to see her own shame.

"Save it," Kim said coldly, taking a step back in disgust. "You're apologies mean nothing to me, and they mean nothing to Ron."

Mrs. Possible wept on, but she choked out a broken sentence. "You have to know…"

Kim had been turning to leave, but that sentence halted her.

"I have to know what?" she asked, her voice like ice.

"The reason… Why… Why I chose to keep silent."

Kim snorted.

"As if I need to know. It doesn't make a damn bit of difference, does it?"

Mrs. Possible winced, but she calmed herself enough to speak. She had to say this. It wouldn't resolve anything. Kim wouldn't forgive her. But, she had to tell Kim the truth.

"Do you ever wonder why you can do anything?" asked Mrs. Possible.

The question made Kim frown.

"What does that have to do with this?" demanded Kim.

"Everything," whispered Mrs. Possible. She took a deep breath, trying desperately to catch her lost breath. "You… weren't conceived in the normal way."

Kim blinked.

"What the hell are you talking about? What the hell do you mean I wasn't conceived in the normal way? What kind of other way is there?!" demanded Kim, her hand curling into a tight fist.

Mrs. Possible flinched, but she didn't retreat.

"You… were part of an experiment."

Kim scowled. She couldn't reject that idea. Both her parents are geniuses after all. And after what they'd done to her, she figured being an experiment was logical.

"What kind of experiment?"

"You… were supposed to be genetically enhanced. You were created to be able to do anything, nothing was to be impossible for you. Your father and I had been working on the project with several other scientists for years. We got to know each other pretty well, and we ended up getting married. The project still wasn't complete at the time. We hadn't discovered a way to give our subject birth. Perchance, your father and I, being higher candidates because of our marriage, were picked for the task. I was to carry you, give you birth."

Kim frowned.

"If I was an experiment, why was I not raised in a lab? Why did you raise me as a normal person?"

"That was a large debate. In a lab, you would be untouched by society. However, in the outside world, we could better verify how effectively you were able to take on challenges, seeing as the outside world is unpredictable. I fought the hardest for your freedom because if you carry around a new life inside you for nine months, you become attached to it. I couldn't bear the thought of sticking you in the lab to be poked and prodded for life. I had to set you free. Eventually, with your fathers help and the Directors approval, we were allowed to raise you as our own."

"Dr. Director was involved? Was she a founder, a sponsor for all this?"

Mrs. Possible nodded, eyes still shedding silent tears.

"You were to be monitored at all times. Nothing was to be missed. Your website was the first step. Your first mission was the spring board, and from then on, everything was conditioned for your growth. You were spectacular. No one could doubt that you could do anything."

Kim snarled, half tempted to smack the woman as hard as she could.

"Then why the hell did they kill me?! Why did they kill Ron?! If things were going so well, why the fuck did they send assassins after me?! Why did you let them?!"

Mrs. Possible began trembling again, hunching in on herself.

"Y-you were too good. You outperformed their expectations, so startling so, that they were worried they wouldn't be able to control you much longer. You were becoming a threat. They tried to regain control, they tried to slow your growth, but your fights against Miss Go only sent your abilities soaring. They panicked. At the rate you were going, you would easily out power the entire Team Go and Team Impossible all at the same time, and that included Shego."

"What did Ron have to do with any of this?"

"He was a wild card," stuttered Mrs. Possible. "He had an unexplainable amount of luck and random intuition. It sent everything into an upheaval because everything he did couldn't be rationalized. Nothing he did made sense, but it worked perfectly for him, though at odd times. With him around, your stats skyrocketed, and again, made you that much more of a threat because you two couldn't be separated."

"So you killed him?! You sent assassins after us?! You chose to erase us, rather then face the consequences of your own actions?! Why couldn't you say anything?! Why did you have to let us walk right into their trap?! Did you hate me that much?!"

Mrs. Possible fell to her knees, sobbing.

"No! No, no, no! I could never hate you!" she wailed, rocking back and forth. "I loved you! I couldn't bear the thought of losing you!"

"THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET ME GO?!" bellowed Kim, a lone tear streaking down her cheek.

"B-because! Of all the fates you faced, death was the least horrible!" she cried, her voice high pitched and nearly hysterical. "They would have made you their lab rat! They would have caged you! They would have drugged you, and beat you, and ran you back and forth to death's door and back again! It would have been terrible! They would have ruined you! They would have ripped you to pieces and put you back together again, just to see how you ticked! They would have bled you dry then started all over again!"

Kim was frozen in shock. There was no lie hidden in those words. The elder redhead spoke nothing but the truth.

For all she'd done, Mrs. Possible couldn't see her baby girl turned into the thing she originally started as. She couldn't see her baby girl turned into a walking experiment. Though it made her no less guilty, it was the best she could think of doing, for she was powerless against GJ, against… her husband. She wasn't as strong as her daughter. She wasn't confident or skilled. The only thing she could do, was hope that Kim was killed swiftly, and that she didn't feel any pain.

Kim couldn't forgive the woman. Though the woman's admission was nothing but the truth, she had hurt Kim far too much. Kim was too broken to accept the woman's apology. The rift between them would forever be there, even though a part of Kim was wreathed in pain in wanting to reach out to the woman, to cling to the part of her life that was good, the stuff that was almost perfect, the life of before. But the past couldn't be brought back, and Ron would remain dead. All in all, all she could accomplish was a future that she would build of her own hands.

"If you truly feel regret for your actions," whispered Kim hoarsely, "take Tim and Jim and get out of here. Get as far away as you can, and never look back. Do right by them, like you could never do with me."

Mrs. Possible trembled before her daughter, her heart breaking all that much more at her daughter's words. There was nothing she could do but nod, her voice too choked up with sobs.

Kim wordlessly turned around and walked away, never once glancing back.

**A/N: **Can I just say… Holy Crap! This chapter was most definitely interesting to write! It just… came out! Definitely want to hear your takes on this! Hope you're positively hooked! ;)


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Okay! This is the redone version of chpt 11. I'm told it's better because it isn't rushed and squashed together. I hope you all like it ;P Toodles!

---------------------

"I thought you said you fixed it!" shouted Georgia.

"I thought I did!" retorted Sandra. Both of them were sitting on the hovercraft, staring at the live feed from Toto.

"Then why is everything falling apart?!" demanded Georgia. It was true, Toto was losing body parts as they spoke. He had dropped a finger a ways back. Next to fall off was his arm. Currently he was working on losing his leg.

"Something's wrong!" Sandra said in frustration.

"No duh!" growled Georgia.

"No! I'm talking about with Kim! She should have signaled us by now!"

"What does that have to do with this?" grumbled Georgia.

"Everything! First off, if she'd signal us, we'd be on schedule! We wouldn't have to worry about Toto falling apart! She has the key, remember?"

"The key?" Georgia lifted an eyebrow, trying to recall the redhead having mentioned any key.

"Yes." Sandra said a little more calmly. "She has the key that will start everything. Without it, this won't work."

"… I'm going to go find her."

"What?! But she told us to stay here!" Sandra whirled around to face Georgia in a panic.

"I don't care." Georgia stood up, mind already mapping out her plan. "Something's wrong. She's not answering comms. And we both know They're on their way."

"But you can't just run in there! You'd never find her in time!"

"Contact Wade."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Sandra. Now she really thought she was hearing things. "That would really piss her off!"

"I don't care. If it keeps going like this, she won't make it out alive. Contact Wade." Georgia stared at her until she shifted in her seat.

"I still say it's a bad idea. Wasn't he the one that betrayed her?"

"Let's hope he wants to redeem himself. Contact him."

Sandra frowned.

"Fine."

Silence filled the small compartment as both of them stared intently at the screen. After a few seconds, a dark skinned young man appeared on screen.

"Yes?" he asked hollowly.

"Wade, you have to help us find Kim."

"Huh?!" He jerked and finally actually looked at them. "Who are you?! How do you know Kim?!" he demanded.

"No time for that," growled Georgia. "Either help us out or don't. We have to find her before they do."

"They?" he asked in confusion.

"The bastards responsible for this!" shouted Georgia. "Stop asking pointless questions and answer us! Will you or won't you help us find her?! We're running out of time!"

"Where is she?" he asked quickly.

"The LG's Computer Company. We lost track of her shortly after she entered. She won't answer comms."

Wade frowned for a moment then pulled out a keyboard. He began typing furiously. Both Sandra and Georgia stared in slight awe as his hands flew across the keys.

"Any idea what she was after?" he asked in a distracted tone.

"Dr. Director and some others. I think that Agent Du guy is on his way to the same place," said Sandra. Wade frowned.

"I can't get a lock on her. However, I can get one on Du. Think you can use him as a springboard to finding her?"

"Sounds perfect," answered Georgia. "If we're lucky, we can get her out of there before they arrive."

"How do you know they're coming?" asked Wade, eyes once more on them.

"Sandra and I tapped their network. They're headed this way as we speak."

"Well, it looks like Agent Du is headed to the upper level. If you're lucky, Kim will probably be there shortly. I found Dr. Director's signature up there."

"Perfect. I'll put in a good word for you."

"Wait!" cried Sandra. "I'm coming too!"

"No," replied Georgia. "It's too dangerous. Besides, you have to control this thing."

"No! I won't stay! You need backup! Jenny is still busy with her part!"

"You have to finish yours as well. There's no one else who can control this thing."

A throat cleared, and they both looked at the screen. Wade looked at them solemnly.

"I can do it. She's right. Going alone would only jeopardize your chances in finding Kim in time. You both have to go."

"And why should we trust you?" Georgia asked darkly. "I haven't exactly heard praising things about you."

"You have my word. I will not betray her trust a second time. I will ensure she makes it through this."

Sandra and Georgia exchanged glances. They didn't have a choice. Georgia looked at Wade with hard eyes.

"If you fail to do this right, nothing will stand between me, you, and all the grief I will put upon you. Torture will look pleasant."

He swallowed but didn't waver.

"I won't fail. I want a chance to apologize for the thing's I've done, even if it only earns me a thorough beating."

Georgia nodded curtly.

"Sandra, throw on the suit. I don't want to take any chances."

"Got it." Sandra quickly left the room with a suitcase.

"You better be alright," muttered Georgia, eyes fixed on an invisible spot.

Sandra came back into the room, black and white battle suit covering her frame. Wade's eyes momentarily widened at the sight. They had that type of technology at their grasp? They really were well equipped.

"Should we tell Jenny?" asked Sandra. "She'll be mad if we don't."

Georgia sighed, pushing a button on the console.

"Yo!" came Jenny's chipper answer. "I'm almost finished on my end! How's she doing?"

"We have bogies headed for her and we've lost comms. Sandra and I are going to go pull her out."

"Are they the ones that…?"

"Yes. We have to get her out of there."

"…Give me five mikes and I'll start heading that way. Where will she be?"

"Top floor. You can't miss it. There will undoubtedly be lots of gunfire and fighting."

"I'll be there," Jenny answered, sounding frighteningly serious. "… Who's going to pilot Toto?"

"Wade is," answered Sandra.

"Wade?" echoed Jenny. "Hmm… Is he listening?"

"Yes," answered Georgia.

"Wade," Jenny began. "I'm sure Georgia has already done this, but if you screw us over, the deepest pits in hell will look inviting. And I promise you that there will be no place for you to hide."

Wade was silent a moment.

"How long have you known her?" he asked softly. "To be so dedicated to her… What happened?"

Georgia snorted.

"It's not a matter of how long. It's a matter of trust." She gave him another hard look. "None of us will ever betray her. _Ever_."

He stared at her in silence. He had never intended to betray Kim either. He had unknowingly stepped over a line he didn't know existed, and now he was paying the price. But Georgia was right. It was never about time. It was always about the trust. He would never make the same mistake again.

"They're getting closer," he finally said. "You better get going."

Georgia and Sandra turned away without word.

Georgia looked over at Sandra, who looked anxious and fidgety. She placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"She'll be fine. We'll make it in time. My promise will not allow it any other way."

Sandra gave Georgia a confused look.

"Your promise?"

"When this is over, ask her about it," responded Georgia. Sandra looked at Georgia a moment longer before nodding.

"After this, you're going to have to tell me how you really feel about her," she said with a large grin, taking Georgia completely by surprise. She grabbed Georgia's hand. "Let's go!" And she yanked Georgia out of the hovercraft before Georgia could react.

--------------------

Will and Shego moved along stealthily. So far, they'd managed to deactivate several traps, confuse pursuers, and disperse an surprise attacks. They were doing a splendid job of clearing the way, and they hoped Kim would reach them shortly. They weren't exactly certain how long they could contain things before it became gory.

"Any idea where she's at?" whispered Shego. Will shook his head.

"No. We don't exactly have comms with her."

"So, By the Book, what are you going to do once we find Dr. Director?"

"… What do you mean?" he asked levelly.

"You're probably a bit torked at your boss for all the crap she's pulled. So, what are you going to do?"

"… I'm going to get answers. I want her to tell me exactly what's going on and why."

"And if she doesn't want to tell you?"

"I'm through playing by the book. So far, all it's gotten me is a demotion of several ranks, isolation from friends, and a lack of communication from my boss. I'm done playing nice. It's high time I got answers of my own, and I'm not asking. I'm demanding."

Shego cocked an eyebrow. She slipped around the corner and slung two plasma blasts at two guards. Both guards dropped.

"Well, Du, guess you just earned a notch of respect. I can't wait to see what you do with Dr. Director."

"I'm only after answers. Kim can take care of the rest. She deserves it."

"Pissed off and noble! I love those combinations! Though you're doing good, Kim's always been the best at it."

Will couldn't help but let a small smile cross his lips.

"Now she's even better at it. Because now, she's got the whole world to be angry at."

"Exciting, isn't it? To be honest, even if they say she's on the wrong side of the law, this is a true test of her heroism."

"How do you figure that?" asked Will. Shego smiled, slipping behind another guard while Will took out his partner.

"Think about it. She can do the impossible. She has friends in places no one ever dreamed, and she's pissed off. However, she didn't take the route I did. I went bad to go bad. She went bad to make things right. The thing is, will she remain on the bad side once everything is set right?"

"What if things are never set right? Then what?" he asked.

"Then she's going to have to get a whole lot meaner to become nicer."

They entered a narrow corridor. At the end was a desk and a lone door.

"You have an interesting perspective on things," commented Will.

"A person will see a lot of things in life when they're hunted by both sides of the law," remarked Shego.

"A thing she seems to be learning in all of this," he added.

Shego snorted.

"Now you're getting it."

They burst into the room, Shego with her plasma and Will with a pistol. Will locked eyes with the only other woman in the room.

"How about you start explaining," he said icily.

Dr. Director scowled, eye never leaving his face.

"Agent Du, stand down," she commanded. He didn't lower his weapon. Actually, he moved it to point directly at her. The woman's lip curled. "I said, stand down!"

"You lost your right to command me the moment you made Kim's life forfeit," he said lowly.

She blinked, her lips creasing into a tight line.

"You don't know what you're dealing with," she said darkly. "Put the gun down."

"Why don't you enlighten me instead. Why are you doing all this? Why are you trying to murder Kim Possible? It goes against everything this organization stands for."

"Agent Du, you have your orders," Dr. Director replied curtly. "Either follow them or you will be persecuted."

Will grunted.

"You're one to talk. Just so you know, I quit. This isn't the organization I signed up with. This is a fraud. As my first freelance job as a hero, I demand answers."

"It's a shame," the Director said quietly. No one else heard her.

"I suggest you get explaining," said Shego. "Where he might have restraint, I have none. If you don't answer soon, I'll start cooking." Her hands flared dangerously. She wanted to say more, but she agreed to let Will have his moment. She just wished he'd hurry his butt up.

"Restraint?" Will snorted. Before anyone could react, he crossed the room. His fist soared, connecting soundly with Dr. Directors jaw. The Director's head snapped to the side. "I already told you, I'm not asking."

The Director righted herself to find herself staring into the barrel of his pistol. Her eye slowly crawled up his face. She was stunned to see an edge, a hardness that didn't used to be there. He didn't hesitate at all, gaze locked with hers. Inwardly, she broke down. What had they become?

"Boy," said a man to Will's right. "You're being foolish." The man grinned when Will looked at him. "Killing her will accomplish nothing. After all, her answers would die with her."

"Shego," Will said lowly. A ball of green plasma slammed into the man's chest, knocking him out of his seat and onto the floor. "Thank you."

Shego nodded with a smirk. Hey, as long as she got to see some action, she didn't mind letting the boy having lead.

"Agent Du," whispered Dr. Director lowly. "You must stop them." She stared up into his eyes. He blinked, having been the only one to hear her. "You must stop them," she repeated, her voice barely audible. "Kim isn't the only victim. She's only the most recent. Shego was a part of this once as well, though she doesn't know it."

"What?" he asked quietly, his own voice barely reaching her ears.

"These men, they aren't the ones really pulling the strings. They're only puppets themselves. They must still be dealt with, but they are not the largest threat. You must save Kim. They've already sent a party to retrieve her. They must not get their hands on her."

"Why are you helping them?" he asked.

Dr. Director grunted.

"Helping them? I've been spying on them. It took me years to finally earn their trust and uncover their secrets. It is unfortunate that Wade was brought in as well. He is a spy himself, a spy in areas I couldn't gain access to, that only his computer genius could reach."

Will frowned.

"Then how do you expect to please both sides? If you reveal yourself, they'll kill you. If you don't, Shego or Kim very well might."

"Shoot me."

"What?!" he hissed. Everyone else watching thought it was a sign of anger.

"Shoot me," she repeated calmly. "Shoot me somewhere not fatal, and slip me a spare gun. It will fool these brutes and allow me to apprehend them when the time is right."

"What about Kim?" he asked, uncertain if he could trust his mentor or not.

"She's not after me," Dr. Director answered. "She's after the last few devices."

"The last few?" he asked.

"You know what device they make when put together. One of the pieces is on the top floor. This is only the next to the top. There is a secret staircase down the hall. Hurry! Before they suspect!"

He growled angrily, hating his options but not seeing another route. He took careful aim and fired. The sound of the shot echoed around the room. Everyone watched in shock as Dr. Director slipped from her chair and onto the floor.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Shego. "I didn't think you had it in you! What about Kimmie?"

Will kneeled, reaching out as if searching for a pulse. However, it was a cover to slip his spare pistol into her coat.

He stood.

"We're done here," he said coldly. "We'll leave the rest for Kim."

Shego hesitated , but followed as he walked out of the room. She scowled, shutting the door behind them. As soon as they're down the hall a ways, Shego turned to Will, about to demand an explanation.

"She's not coming here," he said, cutting Shego off. "She's headed up. We have to get to her before they do."

"Who's they? And how do you know all this?"

"Dr. Director told me."

"And you shot her?" Shego cocked a disbelieving eyebrow.

"She ordered me to. She'll take care of those men while we go after Kim."

"How do you know we can trust her?" asked Shego, looking skeptical.

"She told me about the device Kim's after. It was before all of this. She told me that if Kim ever tried to get the device, I had to help her. It would mean GJ was being manipulated by another source and that measures had to be taken to straighten things out. She said if I ever doubted her, remember why I became an agent and how."

"And let me guess, you forgot all about that conversation until just a moment ago," Shego said sarcastically. She sighed. "So we're off to save Kimmie then?"

"Yes, and make sure the device doesn't fall into the wrong hands. If I'm correct, Kim almost has all of the pieces. Tell Mego to be ready."

--------------------------

Monique sighed, swinging up over some rubble scattered across the lobby. She landed gracefully, eyes darting about for signs of attack. Luckily, there seemed to be no one about. She crossed the destroyed lobby and made her way to the stairwell. She tried to push open the door, but it got caught against something on the other side.

"Great," she grumbled, rubbing her forehead. "Of all the times I wish I had Kim's resources… I bet she'd have some gadget to get inside, maybe even a grapple to scale the outside of the building."

Monique headed towards the elevators. She growled as soon as she saw them.

"Come on BF! You can't be serious! You must really not want anyone coming or going!" Monique huffed and plopped down on a fallen chunk of cement.

BOOM!

Monique jumped, spinning around to find a blond grinning madly from a huge hole in the wall. Monique fell into a defensive stance, eyeing the stranger warily.

"You one of the good guys?" asked Monique. The blond's grin widened.

"Are you kidding? I'm the bad girl playing hero! My lil redheaded napping pillow is in some straits, and I aim to make sure my pillow isn't destroyed!"

Monique blinked, her stance faltering slightly.

"RNP? You can't seriously be talking about Kim, can you?"

"Of course I am! I hear some bastards are out to steal her! And I'm here to make sure they don't!"

Monique looked the girl over critically.

"You got a way to the top? Stairs and elevators need some maintenance."

The blond grinned, her teeth flashing in the light.

"You asking for a lift?"

"So long as you don't drop me," remarked Monique  
The blond laughed.

"Only Georgia would do that, and that's if you piss her off."

"Saying that from experience?" asked Monique as she followed the blond outside.

"Yep!" she answered cheerfully. "Dropped me from the tenth floor! Didn't realize she'd attached a bungee to my ankle until my face was inches from the ground." The blond chuckled. "Never piss her off, cause her threats are never bluffs."

The blond grabbed Monique by the waist and shot something into the air. Seconds later, they were being reeled up the side of the building. They both stared up into the sun, squinting at the roof in hopes to spot someone or something moving around.

"How do you know Red?" the blond asked.

"I knew her in high school," answered Monique. "We were BF's."

"What happened?"

"… The world killed her, left her broken and stricken with grief. I did what I could before she disappeared. After that, I went in search of some answers of my own."

"…So… You knew that Mankey character, right?"

"Yes. I can't believe she actually married him. He's missing a few…"

"Brain cells?" asked the blond. Monique laughed.

"I was going to say charms, but that works too."

"I think she married him because it was safe. He was a familiar face, and she could pretend nothing happened."

"That didn't work out too well, did it?" Monique said softly. Jenny grunted.

"Not really."

The short silence that followed unnerved them both. Monique was quick to end it.

"Name's Monique. In case I get lumped in with the other dead guys, someone will know who I am."

The blond laughed.

"I'm Jenny, in case I don't get to see my pillow again. Someone can relay my last wishes."

"And what are your last wishes?" asked Monique. Jenny was silent a moment. She smiled again, a wistful look in her eyes.

"Tell Red to live a long happy life. Tell Georgia she better take care of Red. Tell Sandra she's a brat. And… have Red tell my mom… that I forgive her."

They both fell silent. They started to near their destination.

"Ready to light a fire under their asses?" crowed Jenny with a wide grin. Monique shared her grin.

"You ready to play hero?"

They both exchanged devious smirks.

"Let's get this party started!" they shouted simultaneously.

---------------------------------

Kim stood in the center of a vast vault. In each safe, she knew there were samples of every living person's DNA. There were even some from people long since dead. She dropped the last detonation charge in place, fully knowing this was only one of many such vaults. It was the seventh one she will have destroyed. That still left three more to go.

She made her way over to a small tile, one of the many beneath her feet. She tapped on it in a certain sequence. It popped open to reveal a button. She pressed it. An entire five by ten section of the wall slid away, revealing a vault within a vault. She stepped inside and went to the center of the small room where a waist high podium sat. On top of the podium was a box.

She reached out and opened the box. Carefully, she deactivated the series of lasers protecting its contents. Finished with that, she picked up the item then smashed it on the floor. She grinned as she picked up the small key that had been hidden inside. She knelt next to the podium and slipped the key into a well concealed slot. With a twist of the key, the entire podium, box and all, melted into the floor.

From the new hole in the floor rose a palm sized item. Kim smiled and pulled out an object of the same size. Very carefully, she swapped the two objects. She stood with a sigh, the replacement disappearing back into the floor, the podium back in place.

She smiled as she made her way back into the larger vault. Just as she exited both, an explosion knocked her off feet. She quickly leapt back to her feet to find Shego and Will standing in the doorway she had sealed when she entered. She opened her mouth.

BOOM!

A second explosion sent her flipping away from the wall. As the dust settled, she could make out Sandra and Georgia standing in the hole. She blinked.

CRASH!

The ceiling came raining down on Kim, and she was unable to get away before two bodies fell on top of her.

Shego and Will looked at Sandra and Georgia. Georgia and Shego both pointed at each other from across the room.

"You!" they both bellowed at the same time.

Sandra and Will looked around in confusion, neither quite sure what had just happened. Monique was lying on the floor in a daze, unable to sit up yet. Jenny sat up and rubbed her head. Someone groaned beneath her. She looked down and squealed.

"Pillow!" She threw her arms around Kim and proceeded to nearly strangle the redhead with a hug.


	12. Chapter 12

Shego growled, igniting her hands. Georgia scowled, pulling out a several throwing knives. The two of them stared at each other from across the room, each waiting for one of them to take the first step forward.

Kim was trying to scramble out of Jenny's tight grip, eyes wide as she gasped for air.

"Let…go!" she wheezed.

Giggling, Jenny released her hold enough that she wasn't constricting Kim's breathing.

"Hey Red! Did you get your mark? I got mine!" she pulled out a small box and began tossing it up in the air and catching it.

Kim rubbed her head and pulled out the small object she'd collected just moments ago.

"Yeah, I got it." she looked around the room, taking note of Georgia's and Shego's hostility. She sighed and took a deep breath. "LISTEN UP!" she boomed.

Everyone in the room flinched, all heads turned to her. She gave each of them a hard look.

"Someone mind telling me what the HELL you're all doing here?!"

"TohelpsaveIyouweherebecause…" everyone tried to start at once.

Kim rolled her eyes. "ENOUGH! We'll start with Shego's group. What are you two doing here? And together no less!"

"We came to help," answered Will.

Kim looked pointedly at Shego.

"I told you to get out of here."

Shego smirked. "Do I ever do what I'm told?"

Kim sighed. She turned to Georgia and Sandra.

"They're on their way," Georgia said simply.

Kim blinked a moment then a small frown spread across her face. She looked at the last pair. Jenny grinned at her and Monique smiled and waved.

"Hey GF!"

"And you?" Kim asked, eye twitching at the most unlikely yet fittingly paired people.

"Same as the others," answered Jenny with a grin. Kim rolled her eyes.

"Who's controlling Toto?" asked Kim, looking back at Georgia and Sandra.

"Wade is," answered Sandra, ducking behind Georgia.

"WHAT?!" roared Kim. She leapt to her feet, knocking Jenny onto Monique in the process. "WHY THE HELL IS WADE CONTROLLING TOTO?!"

Georgia frowned, knives put away and arms crossed over her chest.

"You shut off your comms. How else were we supposed to find you to let you know what was going on?"

"You could have sent Jenny!"

"Jenny was still getting her mark. We couldn't chance that she wouldn't make it to you in time."

"Could you not have gotten anyone, ANYONE else to do it?!" growled Kim.

"Tch! Who else could control a robot like Toto?" retorted Georgia. "It's not like we can ask for a resident genius to help us out while we break into LG's."

Kim frowned.

"I don't like it," she said darkly.

Georgia simply shrugged. "Suck it up. There was no other choice. Besides, we already made it clear what would happen if he screwed up."

Will cleared his throat. "Mr. Load didn't do what you think he did."

Kim's head snapped around and her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"He didn't do whatever it is you thought he did. Dr. Director told me as much."

"Dr. Director?" Kim said scornfully. "Don't make me laugh. That woman has a long ways to go before I'll believe her lies."

Will looked her straight in the eye. "Believe me, I know how you feel. But things aren't what they seem."

Kim chuckled darkly. "Yes, I know. Things are never what they seem." She scowled. "Either way, this isn't the time or place to discuss any of this. If 'They' are really on their way, we have to get out of here."

The sound of several helicopters could be heard overhead.

"Sounds like they're already here," replied Shego. She smirked, "Everybody ready for some fun?"

Georgia pulled out two daggers. "Quite."

Jenny hooted and jumped to her feet. She whipped out two pistols and looked expectantly up at the hole they'd fallen through. "Finally! Some real action!"

Monique got up and dusted herself off. She fell into a defensive stance.

Kim eyed them both and shook her head.

"Idiots! Get out from underneath there!" She grabbed both of them and hauled them off to the side of the room.

She sighed and pulled out a metal baton. Flicking it towards the ground, and it opened up with a hiss and small clink. Shego quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Using weapons now, are we?"

Kim grunted noncommittally. "When my opponents outnumber and outgun me ninety percent of the time, I think one measly piece of steel won't be too over the top."

"So you use it all the time now?" Shego persisted, sounding oddly serious.

"No, only when someone really deserves a good whack," retorted Kim. Shego smirked.

Kim scowled as fifty men burst into the room from several different places. Immediately, the fight began. Charging into the center of the group coming from the hole in the ceiling, she dodged the first sprays of gunfire and ducked under a careless punch. She smirked as she swung hard upwards with the baton and lashed out behind her with a foot. Both attacks connected, knocking both troops to the ground.

Will opened fire on GJ agents that barreled up the stairs behind him, making sure to aim for non-vital areas. Shego smirked happily as she slung plasma at a group of armed people entering through a newly made hole in the wall. When the handful of men scattered, she charged forward, hands creating an eerie glow on her face.

Sandra sent out a few tentative punches and kicks here and there at the men that had come in behind them. Georgia stood close by, weaving in and out of opponents with deadly grace. She skillfully made precise cuts and jabs, downing men easily as she watched all fall helplessly to the floor. Her daggers glittered dangerously, and the cold look on her face didn't belie her intentions any.

Jenny and Monique were assisting Kim with all the men pouring in from the ceiling. Jenny fired into the crowd with a grin, her trigger happy persona mowing through them. Monique carefully picked any opponents wandering out of Jenny's or Kim's range and attacked them, downing them with a solid punch or kick to any vital area she could reach.

Kim slipped under one man's automatic rifle and punched him squarely in the stomach. His feet lifted off the floor before Kim moved away and he crumpled to the ground. She blocked one man's punch with the baton, and then she lashed out with it and came down hard on his collar bone. He yowled as the bone snapped, and collapsed to his knees in pain. The redhead grinned, moving on to the next one.

Before they knew it, the intruders stood alone. They looked around at each other, each expecting, hoping, that there was one more left for them to pick off. But, to their dismay, no foe was left.

Kim turned to Sandra. "Call the hovercraft."

Sandra grinned and pulled out a phone. She opened its keypad and began furiously typing on the tiny thing. Everyone watched in disbelief as she finished and snapped it closed. She gave Kim a sloppy salute.

"Ready to go!"

Kim scanned the others and sighed. "You can hitch a ride out of here, but once we land, you're all on your own."

"Wait, what?!" cried Shego incredulously.

"Hey BFF! You can't just drop me off and wish me a GN! I'm with you in this!" retorted Monique.

"Miss… I mean Kim, there is much we need to discuss. You can't just drop me off somewhere," Will also interjected.

Kim glared at all of them.

"You do not understand the stakes to these 'games.' I'm not pulling in any more people. That only leaves bigger areas in which we can make mistakes and fail..."

"BS," retorted Monique. She crossed her arms over her stomach defiantly. "You don't want us to get hurt, GF. And I respect that. But, you're not leaving me behind again. I won't see YOU in a casket this time."

Kim flinched and tried to begin again, "Look-"

"Give it up," interrupted Shego. "You're not going to argue any of us out of it. We're all here for similar reasons. One way or another, we are going to help you. Just shut up, take us along, and make it simpler for yourself and us."

Kim flashed her a hot glare, her lip curling in a snarl.

"None of you get it!" she growled. "You're not listening! There's more to this then any of you understand!"

"Like the machine you're trying to build?" asked Will. He locked eyes with her. "If you're referring to that, I know more then you think."

She rolled her emerald eyes, "That's just a small bit of it Du. A very small bit. All that machine is going to accomplish is exterminating all traces of certain… scientific research items that are immoral and inhuman. That machine is only one piece of the puzzle."

"And what you're family is a piece of?" asked Monique. "What GJ is a piece of? I know more about that then you think."

Kim frowned at her. "Again, only a piece of the puzzle."

"And I know things no one else knows," said Shego. She calmly looked at Kim. "Things not even GJ or your friends or family know about."

Kim groaned, "Listen! I-"

BAM!

Everyone jumped and turned to look at Georgia. She stood with her foot still in the air, the chunk of cement she kicked into a wall rattling to a stop by Jenny's foot.

"Shut up. All of you." She turned a fierce gaze on Kim. "You know they're only going to run amuck alone. If you don't keep an eye on them they might face a fate worse then one where you can at least attempt to protect them. Besides, not only do you need the extra hands, you want them to come along."

Kim's body shook. None of them could tell if it was from anger or grief or other, unknown emotions. Either way, Georgia didn't relent her stare as she continued.

"This goes deeper then any of them, or us, could expect. If we keep piecing together the puzzle though, we might just figure out a way to end all of this."

Kim pivoted around and put her back towards them. She pulled out her grapple and shot it up into the hole in the ceiling. "You don't understand," she said lowly. "I already know how to stop it." She glanced back at all of them. "And even the bit I told you wasn't all of it."

"And you're hiding things from us because...?" A tremor ran through Georgia.

Jenny glanced at them both worriedly. Kim snorted and shook her head.

"Tsk, tsk…" She looked down at her hand, examining it in the sunlight from the open ceiling. "After all this, I thought you'd have figured it out by now."

Georgia frowned. "Figured out what?"

"Why I do what I do," answered Kim. She closed her hand into a fist, and looked up into the sunlight. "I thought you'd all understand by now. All of you should…"

Though she tried to restrain herself, Georgia took a step forward.

"Understand what?" she asked. Her hand twitched, as if she wanted to reach for Kim. Jenny watched her carefully.

Kim slowly shook her head from side to side.

"Heh, sometimes, you're all so dense. Why have I done what I have? Why did I do all this since the beginning?" She whirled around to face them, staring at them long and hard. "Before I became what I am now… Why I became what I was before… It was never about me. Never once was it about me. Why am I who I am?!"

Georgia sighed, for once, ignoring her usual abrasive attitude. She straightened and took a few steps closer. The others watched in tense confusion. Each wanted to say something, but they were too held by the moment. Besides, they couldn't think of an answer. Their minds were all too stuck on Kim's assassination and the past, and she'd already said that was only part of it.

"Because of me, them… everyone. You are who you are because of everyone, even all those people out there..." Georgia waved a blind hand at the hole in the wall.

A small smile crossed Kim's face. "Exactly. I am who I am because of everyone." Her smile disappeared then, "And because of that, I will hold true to that part of me that makes me, me."

Georgia frowned. "So you hold us out because of that? That's not protection. If anything, that's just as harmful."

Kim frowned and looked away. "That may be, but it's the one harm I can be assured won't kill you."

Before anyone could respond, Kim reeled in her line and was lifted up into the air and to the roof. Georgia grunted and looked at the others.

"Get a move on! Or she just might leave us."

Jenny immediately grabbed Monique and shot her own grapple. "See you aboard!" she said cheerfully, secretly glad that Georgia and Kim hadn't gotten too into things. It could have gone too far in either direction, and it was no place to do either with such an audience as this.

Sandra sighed and walked up to Will. "Need a lift?"

"Err…" Will looked up at the hole and sighed. "Yes, yes I do."

"Well then, hang on tight!" She grinned, grabbed his hand, and used the suit's heel jets to carry them both up through the hole and onto the roof.

Georgia and Shego locked eyes.

"We both have pieces of her the other doesn't," remarked Shego wearily.

"It seems so," Georgia replied evenly.

"Are you going to Bid or Gamble?"

Georgia snorted. "I've never been a bidder."

Shego smirked. "Neither have I."

"Save the fight for later, ladies!" shouted Jenny. "We have a jet to catch!"

Georgia and Shego shot each other one more glare before making their way to the hole. They paused just under it.

They both leapt at the same time, both in opposite directions to large pieces of debris. Using the debris as a springboard to grasp onto a piece of hanging metal or steal, each flipped themselves up onto the roof. When they both landed, they eyed each other and made their way towards the hovercraft.


	13. Chapter 13

The hovercraft was silent. It was packed tightly with too many people, which all crammed together in the limited space and waited impatiently until half of them could get off and get on the jet that was supposedly waiting for them. Half weren't certain if they were going to be taken all the way to where-ever it was they were going. Even though they'd been allowed to board the hovercraft, there was no certainty that they would be allowed to follow Kim and her group all the way to their hideout. Judging by the repeated wary glances in their direction, they were almost sure they'd be dropped off at a supposed 'hideout', and then quickly abandoned. Heck, even if they were taken all the way to their destination, it didn't mean it would be their true hideout. It could be one of many, and more then likely wouldn't be their base of operations.

Georgia looked the most irritated. Her usually stoic features were tight with tension, an unshakable scowl on her lips. Her ice blue eyes were hard, unreadable, and dangerous. Her posture was tense, coiled on the edge of her pilot's seat and gripping the controls tightly. Her black clothing only seemed to glow with a black aura of foreboding. No one wanted to be close to her, not even her own teammates, who leaned as far as they could away from her. They'd been forced to sit/stand the closest, and Kim was the one who regretted it most.

Why? Not only was Kim pressed up against the shoulder of Georgia's chair, Shego was squeezed in tightly behind her, body practically spooning her own smaller frame. Jenny was watching the three of them with a shit-eating grin and an odd glint in her hazel eyes. Kim kept sending her death glares, but the over excitable blond simply grinned wider. Upon seeing that, Kim started to think of several creative and extreme different ways she could maim or decapitate the blond as punishment.

Plus, it had the added affect of getting her mind off the fact that Shego's body was rubbing against hers at every little turn and dip the hovercraft made. Shego's ample bosom was horribly distracting, and it took all of her frustration and anger to refrain from enjoying its firm squishiness. And, she could ignore the corner of Georgia's chair digging into her ribs that was probably causing bruising.

Shego, for her part, was thoroughly enjoying the obvious frustration on Kim's face. She certainly had no qualms about being this close to the redhead. If anything, she was subtly trying to be even closer and move a little more then necessary to see how frustrated she could make the redhead. Besides, she hadn't gotten a good up-close look at the redhead, and she wanted to get a better inspection since her 'rebirth'.

Shego could dig the new unruly short red hair. Before, she hadn't thought the younger woman could pull the look off, but she actually looked pretty damn hot with it. The tips of her hair seemed dipped in black, like she'd dyed her hair and had let it grow out and then shorn it just past her inch long red roots. Kim's eyes seemed a darker green, outlined, strangely enough, by black eyeliner and a dark green eye shadow. She wore no other makeup. The redhead was even wearing a tight pair of tight black pants and an equally tight black tank top. On the front, blazing in bright blood red, the word Lost sat stretched by the larger, but still not large, bust of the redhead. She wore a black choker and two silver bracelets on her left wrist. On her middle finger on her right hand was a silver ring. Shego couldn't see what it looked like from this angle, but she could see a small glint of red when Kim's hand shifted in the light. On her feet where two tall black combat boots with several buckles and steel toes.

It was almost a slap in the face. She knew Kim had changed drastically over the years she'd been 'dead', but she hadn't truly anticipated such a drastic visible change. She'd thought it'd be mostly internal. Busy with the fact the redhead was alive and kicking, she'd been distracted from the obvious new looks. What bothered her, the only thing that bothered her about it, was trying to decide if the redhead had done it to hide, or if that was how she truly preferred to dress now. Not that it wasn't hot on the toned redhead, it was just… very nearly bizarre. Glancing at Georgia, she had to wonder if the Goth had been the influence, seeing as the Goth was decked out in all black and had the dark makeup on as well, only her eye shadow was black.

While Shego speculated on this sudden observation, Will was stewing internally about his precious Director and how to take all the changes occurring so rapidly within the last few days. He wasn't sure exactly where she stood, let alone where he stood. He was just tumbling along with the others, going 'with the flow', as he'd heard some say. He wasn't used to doing such things, and it unnerved him, set him on edge. He didn't like not having facts, having control. He hated feeling blind and helpless. Setting out with these… ladies, seemed only to hold more of that.

Sandra's pale gray blue eyes roved over the entire group. Using the reflection of the lights overhead to hide her probing gaze, she freely watched the others in silence. The three most tense people in the room were Will, Red, and Georgia. She found Shego's appraising gaze on Kim amusing, and Jenny's entertainment of the whole scene even more comical. Lastly, her gaze slid over to where the last person sat tucked tightly onto the end of the couch on the other side of Will, who was sitting next to her. To her slight surprise, their eyes met, and they both grinned at being caught observing the whole ticking time bomb. She had yet to find a name for the chocolate skinned woman with her rich dark brown eyes, but she'd figured she'd find out soon enough. After all, Kim knew her, and Jenny… well, Jenny might and might not know her, but she at least seemed to get along with her.

Her eyes widened suddenly and she smacked her head hard, gathering the attention of everyone.

"Shoot!" she said loudly, breaking the overbearing silence. "Georgia! We forgot about Toto!"

Kim hissed while Georgia growled. Both of their heads whipped around to shoot menacing glares at her. "Contact Wade!" they commanded simultaneously.

They both blinked and exchanged odd looks before turning back to Sandra's barely contained grin.

"You want him on screen?"

Shooting Georgia a look, the redhead waited for the Goth to shrug with indifference before nodding quickly.

Before more could be said, the screen came to life before them with Wade's visage. He blinked in surprise, hands momentarily paused in their work. "Kim? How did-?"

"Wade," Kim said lowly, icily. "I was informed you were handling Toto for us."

Wade visibly swallowed before straightening and locking gazes with her. "Yes. I've already gotten him to the location Sandra indicated. I've managed to keep most of him together. From my readings, he's designed to self-destruct. I wasn't sure when you wanted him to go, so I was waiting until you contacted me."

Despite herself, Kim found herself somewhat relaxed by the familiarity of working with Wade. She wasn't quite sure if she trusted him, but he'd shown he was willing to prove himself, more so by the fact he hadn't cowered from her this time. And though it irritated her, she knew that Will was telling the truth. Even if she still wanted to beat the Director senseless, she knew the woman wouldn't go spouting off anyone's innocence unless it was in honesty. After all, the hardest person to prove your innocence to was the Director, even when she'd been delving into the wrong side of the law herself. And regretfully, Kim had managed to investigate the situation enough to know that her hatred towards the Director and Wade were, not quite groundless, but certainly not damning enough to lob them in with the rest of the bastards she was going to kill. Hence, she would give him… some slack.

"You finally did something right," she said harshly. Hey, he only deserved a _little_ slack. He still had things to make up for. His slight wince sent a flicker of satisfaction through her. "Sacrifice Toto. It's time he played his part." She pulled out an object from a pouch on her hip. She hit several buttons on it. Just as she finished and snapped it closed, a muffled *boom* echoed through the walls of the hovercraft, followed shortly by a rough gust of wind that sent the craft bobbing around.

Just as Georgia got control of the small craft, a second, far larger, explosion went off. This gust sent the ship tumbling in the air, even with Georgia's skill as a pilot. Sandra was quick to bring up a video feed from a camera locked on the LG building. The entire LG building exploded then contracted until it shriveled up and completely disappeared with a loud sucking pop. Everyone but Kim watched in open mouthed shock. The entire building just vanished, the only traces being the piping and cement that lead to the parking lot below where the building had been.

All eyes turned to her. Tightlipped, she stared at the screen unblinkingly. "Three more," she said tonelessly.

"What… what was that?" Will dared to ask first. He was the only one to find his voice fast enough and be brave enough to speak up.

"That, was one of the stolen weapons I took from Them. It was unfinished."

Sandra looked at her scanned info. "That wasn't unfinished. That was completely functioning."

"Of course," Kim answered, unfazed by the slight fear in the sandy haired girl's voice. "I finished it."

"H-How?" asked Monique, unable to bite her tongue quickly enough. Kim, however, didn't even turn as she answered.

"I figured out how, of course. I fixed all it's flaws, and add the missing things that would make it work. It had been discarded until they could find someone smart enough to finish engineering it; it's success had been halted by the fact they couldn't figure out how to get it to work as they wished it to."

"You… built that?" Wade asked in awe.

It had been well known that she was an amazing athlete and quick on her feet when it came to improvised plans. However, though she also got top scores at school, she hadn't been deemed any sort of genius, let alone someone that could build a weapon of such mass destruction that was so horrifyingly effective.

Kim finally turned to regard them. Her dark green eyes were emotionless. "I can do anything."

That was the first time the saying ever inspired a flicker of fear, instead of inspiration.

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, I think this deserves a bit of evil laughter. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I mean come on! Doesn't Kim just sound positively vicious? Who else got a mental image that kinda stopped them short?

How do you like my evil Kimmie? Hehehe. Please do review. I really wanna hear some takes on this :)


	14. Chapter 14

Short hair dancing wildly in the wind, Kim stood on the edge of the cliff in silence. She shouldn't have been standing out in the open so blatantly, but she didn't fear anyone coming to disturb her sanctuary. They'd chosen this location specifically because it was cold, windy, and less populated. If anyone saw her, it would be from a distance too great to identify who she was.

She watched the waves roll, the salt water looking rough, cold, and untamed. She'd been out here for several hours. Honestly. she thought her feet were gone and had been replaced with wooden blocks. Bundled up in one of Georgia's leather jackets, she had to keep her mind wandering to ignore the chill that seeped into her skin. Why was she out here? Alone? And for so long?

She was hiding. Yes, the great Kim… err… Kim Delancy, was hiding. Wouldn't anyone? Her entire secret hideout was crawling with old friends, semi co-workers, and enemies. They were all bickering and demanding answers and sharing info. After spending about ten minutes trying to answer fifty questions at once, she'd roared a death threat at them and stalked out of the room. She was relieved and surprised that none of them dared follow her.

Sighing, she shook her head reproachfully.

No, it wasn't that she'd just surprised them with the outburst. She'd frightened them with her suddenly emerged genius. She was damned near perfection with her fighting skills and intuition. If you add the genius to finish, possibly even create, weapons of mass destruction never before seen… Well, she didn't blame them for being frightened. She expected them to be thrown off guard, possibly even avoid her. It was probably the only reason any of them hesitated to go up there and bother her while she was trying to calm down and gather her thoughts.

"You stole my jacket?" came a voice behind her. Turning, she came face to face with Georgia. The Goth looked pointedly at her jacket. "I've been looking for that for a month."

Kim shrugged. "I was going to return it eventually."

The Goth growled at her but did nothing to remove the jacket from Kim's frame. They both stared out across the water for a while. Georgia's black hair tickled her neck and she shrugged her own jacket higher.

"They're wondering about you," the Goth finally said into the silence.

"They haven't wondered enough to come find me," replied Kim, her voice lightly laced with anger.

A gust of wind caused them to rock a little, the collar on Kim's jacket slapping at her jaw with a small sting. Georgia shifted, eyes hidden behind her dark sunglasses.

"I told them not to."

Kim blinked at the Goth. Her dark green eyes clearly asked 'why?'. Georgia pretended to ignore her, but her eyes were glued on Kim's face. Knowing Georgia wouldn't answer if she asked aloud, Kim shook her head and chose a different comment.

"I can't imagine them staying put because you simply tell them to… Shego would have lit your ass on fire."

"She could try."

Kim snorted. "You're both so damned cocky."

"Look who's talking."

Deciding she wouldn't even give that remark acknowledgement, Kim let her gaze wander back to the rolling water. "You only come find me when something is really bothering you."

Georgia decided to play the same game in return for a while and not say anything. She knew Kim was right, but she didn't want to admit it sooner then she absolutely, pulling teeth, had to. Well, that and she was about ready to kill Shego before she came out here. The green skinned hero was silently gloating over the fact that she'd spent the entire ride here pressed firmly against Kim. Had it been anyone else, Georgia wouldn't have even noticed. Even if they had gloated about it. But it was Shego, and Shego irritated her in ways she'd never been pressed to acknowledge, let alone defend against.

It truly didn't help that she had a heavy inkling that the pendant Kim wore had been a gift from the ex-thief. And even though she herself had given Kim a gift, and Kim wore it as well, she felt she was losing ground in this silent battle. It made her scowl, realizing she was finally admitting there was a battle to begin with and that… it actually held higher stakes then she'd ever dared gamble.

"You brought them home," Georgia finally said aloud. Her own thoughts were traveling down paths that she was still hesitant to tread on. "You could have taken them anywhere."

"I wasn't given much choice," Kim snapped. Glaring pointedly at the Goth, she crossed her arms in a huff. "I seem to recall a certain someone insisting we just drag them along."

"That didn't mean we had to bring them home."

"There wasn't time to figure out the where and how."

Georgia faced her, eyes still hidden behind those damnable sunglasses. "What are we going to do with them?"

Kim glared at her a moment before her gazed turned thoughtful. "I've got a rough idea how they can be put to use. Why waste their talents now that they're here?"

"Well?"

"I'll tell you later." Kim could feel Georgia's anger burning beside her. Ignoring the slight chill it sent down her spine, she let her gaze follow a seagull in the sky.

Rocks and gravel crunched beneath Georgia's boots as she spun in a huff to leave. Kim's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist before she could take two steps. "You came for a reason," Kim said quickly.

The Goth glared at her then tried to shake loose Kim's hand. "I must've forgotten it."

"Stay?"

There'd been a tinge in Kim's voice that Georgia hadn't heard for over a year. It gave her pause, keeping her frozen mid stride as she warred with herself whether or not she really wanted to do what she was about to.

Growling internally, she leaned back and took back her step. Kim and Georgia stood side by side. Kim's eyes watched her almost pleadingly, while Georgia preferred the safety of hiding behind her sunglasses to watch the redhead warily.

Georgia scowled. She'd never before wanted to know what was going on in someone else's head. She was thrilled mind reading still hadn't been figured out. The thought of trying to listen to everyone's troubles had always made her cringe. Asking had always been out of the question. She didn't want to know what people were planning, what they were going to be doing. She didn't want to know what they'd already done and gone through.

But she'd asked Kim. She wanted to know what was happening and had happened with Kim, what kinds of thoughts were buzzing around in that confounding mind of hers. It was almost an insatiable need to know. It unnerved and confused her. Kim was _her_ puzzle to figure out, _her_ piece to be unraveled. She actually held a private, almost disturbing, pride in knowing she'd found Kim first; she'd discovered Kim first after she'd been'killed'. Shego might have known her before, and might have a deeper hold, but the fact remained that she knew the Kim of present. There had been a time when the green skinned hero seemed to have never existed at all.

And such thoughts infuriated the Goth. She was a recluse. She'd been one for as long as she could remember. Flying solo had always been her main goal in life. She hated the idea of trying to deal with someone else always being there, always pressing and needing attention and returning it. She would dance, tease, and tempt, but she always returned alone. She didn't want to share with anyone because she found no need to. She was quite happy being alone and pitting herself against whatever trouble she chose.

So she asked herself why she stuck around Kim and Jenny. It was initially Kim. It always would be Kim. Jenny was tacked on one day, and the Goth simply allowed it. She assumed it because the gun toting blond was bizarre and crazy enough that Georgia found her escapades somewhat entertaining. That, and Kim had given her the most horrifying face she'd ever seen. It was a point that Jenny didn't cling to her like she did to Kim. She'd tried it a few times, but she quickly learned touching Georgia usually ended up giving her many wounds or scaring her shitless.

The Goth sighed softly enough that Kim couldn't hear it over the wind. However, she reached up and pulled off her sunglasses and looked long and hard into Kim's eyes.

"You've been keeping a lot from me," Georgia said somberly. Blind sided by the unexpected words and brilliant blue eyes, Kim remained transfixed for several breathless moments. Georgia took the time to pull out a cigarette and light it up. Taking a long drag from it, she noticed that Kim still hadn't released her wrist. She met Kim's green eyed gaze again.

Kim blinked several times, and the Goth almost swore she heard the redhead gasp as if she'd been holding her breath.

"It's necessary," Kim finally answered.

"Is it?" argued Georgia. "Of all of them, is it really necessary to push me away and hide things?"

Kim actually winced. Unknowingly, she pulled her hand off of Georgia's wrist. "You're making things difficult."

"No, you're making things difficult for yourself." Georgia refused to let Kim look away. "You keep bringing this upon yourself." Intense burning rage suddenly bubbled up inside of Kim, and Georgia saw it's rising tide. She frowned down at the redhead. "You know I'm not talking about all that shit."

Some of Kim's anger settled, but she was still stewing. "You walk a fine line sometimes…" Kim muttered darkly.

"We all walk fine lines," retorted the Goth, unperturbed. She took another drag and watched the smoke swirl in the wind. Hesitating a moment, Georgia let her gaze remained fixed on the sky as she tossed at her next comment almost casually. "You haven't picked, Red."

Staring at her blankly, Kim tried to grasp at the new topic. "Huh?"

Georgia almost smirked. It was hard to resist. It was very rare she got to see the redhead confused. "You haven't made a choice." Seeing the confused pucker on her brow, the Goth sighed. "You haven't even thought about it, have you? You still can't see past your shadow."

"My shadow?" echoed Kim. She cocked her head to the side. "What are you talking about Georgie?"

Kim had completely forgotten about her anger now. That was always a good thing.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? We've been telling you the same damn thing this whole time." Kim looked unnervingly cute, so puzzled like that. She was even starting to unconsciously stick out her bottom lip in frustration. Old habits die hard.

"Figured out what? I don't understand what you're talking about."

Looking away a breath, Georgia had to regain her composure. She shuddered. It would be the end of the world if she allowed herself to get all gaga like Shego had. Unfortunately, Kim had always been frighteningly good at being the perfect distraction.

"What happens after you win your revenge?"

The baffled look never left Kim's face. "After?"

"Yes, after. What happens after you win your revenge and you've defeated all your enemies? What then?"

Facing dancing with emotion, Kim looked away speechless. She honestly never really thought about _after_. She never thought she'd make it to after. A part of her… didn't want to.

As soon as Georgia realized what had crossed Kim's mind, she seized the younger woman by the arms and forced her to look up.

"Kim, have you never planned to make it until after?" She didn't realize how dangerously close her voiced sounded broken until Kim's eyes widened and panic settled onto her visage.

In truth, Kim had never been any better at dealing with emotion then Georgia had. Showing or receiving had long been met with closing oneself off and pretending it never happened. Georgia was usually in control enough that they never had to dwell on anything too much. But, the thought of Kim never even planning or trying to finish her revenge and make a life after… it unhinged all of Georgia's blockades and left her deeply shaken. She clung to Kim in a desperate attempt to attach some sort of lifeline.

"I-I…" stuttered Kim. The thought that someone wanted her to stick around, to be around after everything hit the fan… she'd forgotten what it felt like. It was… alien to her. She honestly didn't know what to do, to think. Her emotions were going haywire, and she was incapable of straightening the mess out.

Both realizations, one of life, one of death… both were equally traumatizing. Georgia was so tense that her body shook. Kim was so shell shocked, she was frozen in place. Taking every ounce of willpower she had, Georgia reigned in her fleeing emotions and looked deeply into Kim's eyes. "You-are-needed." She didn't elaborate. She couldn't. If she did, she'd fail to keep her composure and everything would scatter to the wind as Kim raced as fast and as far as she possibly could.

As it was, Kim began to tremble and pull away. Refusing to release her hold, the Goth yanked the redhead forward and into her arms. She held her tight, throwing all and nothing into this one moment, this one tiny little chance. "You're needed," she repeated, her voice hoarse with restrained emotion.

From a distance, Shego's nostrils flared. Her hands flexed and her eyes burned. It was all she could do not to race across the gap between them and steal Kim from Georgia's hold. A glow flickered on and off around her hands, never fully igniting but there none the less. Taunt as a string ready to snap on a musicians instrument, she held herself high, chin thrust up into the air in defiance.

Jenny stood next to her mutely, eyes locked onto the scene with a solemn face but a sad cast to her eyes. "There will be no winner between you," she murmured lowly. Shego's eye twitched. Jenny continued in subdued seriousness. "You are both the first and last people she will think upon, the first and last in everything she does. She will not choose because she cannot. In all honesty, you two will be lucky, if between the two of you, that you convince her to live for more then just the means to an end. Also, you must shake her perfection and implant flaws into her artificial self. If she doesn't feel human, she will not be alive enough to desire what she would be leaving behind. She's dancing on the knife's edge, Shego." Jenny swiveled her head sharply to lock her eyes on the ex-thief and newly returned hero. "I honestly don't think only one of you will be enough to pull her back."

Without another word, Jenny walked away.

----------------------

Battle cries rang through the air. The clash of cloth being torn and steel being shredded echoed around the building. Three witnesses watched the scene unfold with barely contained anxiousness.

Blood and sweat pooled and smeared across the floor. Brilliant flashes of light shimmered and danced off reflective surfaces. Heat sweltered about the room, causing the smell of sweat, blood, and burning material to waft around everyone's head.

"This don't sit well with me," said Monique as she watched. She frowned and shook her head. "There are other ways to settle this."  
Sandra's hollowed gaze was distant and apprehensive. "No, there's not."

Will snorted. "Sure there is. Don't they know what we have ahead of us? This will solve nothing."

Sandra shook her head slowly. "It has nothing to do with what is ahead. Or maybe, it has everything to do with it. They don't have time to waste. If there is to be an answer for them, at least between the two of them, if not the three, they must find it now."

Monique glanced away from the battle to the young genius. "Why? Why now? What difference will it make?"

"All the difference in the world." Sandra reflexively touched her chest where the pendant had lay when Kim had given it to her to hold. She had given it back once. She hoped she could do so a second time.

All the way on the other side of the hideout, Kim was hovering over a small device. It looked more like a 3-D puzzle then any sort of electronic device. It's center was a round blue sphere. A thin gold crescent ran parallel along it's rounded side, vertically, and attached to a silver spike that cut through the center of the sphere. Attached to the spike and crescent were several small flat multicolored rectangular pieces in small groups. Nearly hovering on the top of the odd construct, a golden cone like structure perched gracefully and part of it swirled down to meld into a small cone like shape on the bottom. It looked as fragile as glass, and as colorful. Carefully, Kim slowly inserted another spike, it's golden surface gleaming as it slowly went through both sphere and silver spike.

Once it was in place, Kim sighed in relief. "It's almost finished."

"What is it?" called a voice.

Kim blinked and turned her head to find Jenny standing in the doorway. Kim rolled her eyes. "You have a seriously bad habit of popping in when I don't want you to."

"And I always will," Jenny replied smoothly. "What is it?"

Kim looked at the small construct with a contemplative gaze. "The end and the beginning."

"Of what?"

"Everything."

"… Way to be vague." Jenny snorted and came closer to inspect it. "I'm serious. What's it do?"

"I already told you. I wasn't kidding."

Jenny regarded her coolly for several long seconds. "If such a device existed, it'd be very precious and highly guarded. It'd be nearly impossible to find and even more improbable one would figure out how to piece it together to get it to work properly… if it worked at all."

"It _is_ highly guarded. Each pieces has at least three hundred of their top agents guarding it. It's also always locked within several different types of vaults. It's lucky if a person ever finds a single piece. Once found, they guard it jealously and don't even let their most trusted look upon it."

"Is that why it's never been used?"

"Yes. There was one group who used to hold all of the pieces, but they got attacked and the pieces were stolen by different factions. One faction was a church, and said church managed to get three pieces of it. They made sure no one else knew they had that many and separated them. Once the power was re-discovered, the church was raided and lost two of its pieces. Ironically, this was made to benefit mankind. But the single time it was used, it wiped out an entire Island."

"What, like Atlantis?"

"It _was_ Atlantis."

Jenny blinked at her, clearly trying to decide if Kim was joking or not. "How'd you find out about it?"

"Pure chance. When Sandra hacked into one of the villains computers and planted a virus, she also stole his entire hard drive. I came across a small blip of a thing hidden within the mess. Following it on whim, I discovered the first piece. After that, I began researching it and uncovered what it was and what it was used for."

"Why are you rebuilding it? _How_ are you rebuilding it? Isn't that, like, all erased by time?"

"I'm going to use it. How? I just know." Kim gently closed the glass lid on the small anti-gravity machine she had stolen from one of Drakken's abandoned lairs. She'd fixed it up and actually made it functional. Jenny was starting to get that weird unnerving feeling in her gut again, the same one she'd gotten when Kim admitted to building that freaky ass bomb. Kim pressed another button and a cylinder metal sheath came down from the ceiling and encased the entire anti-gravity machine in a airtight shield.

If Jenny wasn't so certain Kim wouldn't actually harm her, she'd have wigged out ages ago and probably shot the redhead. As it was, the redhead still made the blond a little jumpy. Who the hell wouldn't be?

"What are you going to use it on?" asked Jenny, tapping the metal cylinder.

"Them."

Jenny straightened to look her friend in the eye. "_Them_? Are you sure that isn't a little extreme? Even if it is Them?"

"This has to be done right the first time. If they escape again, the entire world will face destruction. They're hold is spreading. If things keep going as they are, they'll head into space and let Earth be decimated. They won't spare a soul."

"If we even get by all their puppets, aren't They, like, demi-gods? How would we kill them?"

"This tiny little device has more kick then you think. It will take care of them."

"And a Texas like chunk of whatever they're on."

"I never said it would be without consequence."

"You never said it involved suicide, either." Jenny crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.

Kim decided to avoid touching the suicide comment. It seemed more and more people were against her plan. She mentally grunted in irritation. Hadn't she already died once? So what if it was for real this time round? They'd been fine the first time. Granted, her initial plan wasn't exactly to die. But that was more because she didn't let herself consciously think about what would happen once she set the device off and what it implied about her making it out alive.

"Listen Sloth," Kim said lowly, a tinge of pleading in her voice. "This was created back in Their lifetime, Their rule. It's the only thing that can possibly destroy Them. Obviously, throughout the ages, nothing else has worked, or we wouldn't be having to deal with this."

"We may have to deal with this, and it may be the only way to destroy Them, but there are certainly more ways to do it then let you walk in and let yourself go boom. It's possible you'll miss Them and we'd be left to figure out how to do it without you. I don't see us succeeding if left to our own devices, resident genius or two or not."

Kim sighed and exited the room through a hidden door to flop down onto one of the medic beds in their sick bay. Jenny followed her, and without preamble, dropped onto the bed beside Kim and used her as a pillow.

"How did you find out about Them anyway? When you'd mentioned Them to us, you sounded like you had no idea who They were either."

"I didn't find out about Them on my own. Apparently, They sought _me_ out."

Jenny guffawed. "Bullshit! Why on earth would They search out you?"

"They were assisting GJ and the scientists in creating me."

Jenny frowned. "I've only got pieces of that you've told me. You have to explain, Red."

Should she tell Jenny? Did she want to tell her? She had yet to tell anyone the whole story. Kim rubbed her faced in attempt to calm her quickening heart rate and smooth out the emotions that were visible on her visage. She let her mind wander back through all the years of turmoil that clouded her mind back then. Not that it seemed to have gotten any better, but at least she found time to be at ease and feel safe now.

"I was created. I was pieced together in a lab and then thrown into my mother's womb so that I could actually be given life. They couldn't get me to grow in the test tube. I'd have to go through all the paperwork to figure out why, but I destroyed most of it in anger. Anyway, I was raised within a certain standard, a certain environment. Everything was a test, a trial. I had to do things a certain way, or I'd fail and they'd terminate the project. Somehow, I passed all they're weird tests and actually rose above them. My excelling rate caused them to worry, and then to panic. They had to terminate the project they'd started."

"I thought you said They searched you out."

"They did. I'd just received a call from Wade about a new mission. He told me my ride would be there in ten minutes. I'd naively been unaware of any of the things that had been going on. I still thought I was just who everyone said I was. I didn't realize everything was fake."

Jenny grabbed Kim's hand and entwined their fingers so the redhead wouldn't dig into her palm again with her nails. She already had several crescent shaped scars from previous incidents. Her other hand was already trapped between them.

"Did They actually show themselves?"

"Yes. They came strolling down the street, looking like any kind stranger who happened to be passing by. They saw me waiting outside on the front steps and came to speak with me. What They told me… I didn't believe Them. I thought they were joking. The things They spoke of were… so fantastic, so bizarre and wild, I thought they couldn't possibly exist. You know what kind of stuff I dealt with as a hero. You know it'd have to be seriously out there for me to disbelieve it."

Jenny nodded slowly. "So you didn't believe them. Did they tell you about who you were?"

Kim's jaw clenched, muscles ticking. "Yes. I got mad at Them. They insisted it was true, and offered me sanctuary. I was partially Their creation, and They wanted to keep me. Apparently, I'd been the closest They'd ever seen of their own kind, and They wanted me to stay with Them. The idea I'd been created scared me enough in it's own right. I was furious that They'd even have to gall to offer such things, if it were true, seeing as They'd helped design the lie so it was impossible to detect and were excitedly admitting it. Such thoughts… it was all I could do to keep myself sane enough to pretend it was all just a sick joke by some odd strangers. I was… too weak to accept the possibility that it might be true."

Jenny snuggled closer. She doubted she would have remained sane. She doubted she would have even managed to hear out the entire conversation without going crazy and getting tossed into a loony bin. Another thought suddenly struck her.

"Is that why you regret that day so much? Because, if you'd listened, he…"

"He might have survived?" whispered Kim. Tears began rolling down her cheeks. Eyes so wide you could see the entire iris, she gazed unseeingly up at the ceiling. "I've… thought of that… endlessly. I've… questioned myself… tirelessly."

Jenny frowned and sat up on the bed to hover over the redhead. "You didn't know."

"They told me."

Jenny huffed and grabbed Kim's chin and forced their eyes to meet. "You couldn't have known. Anyone would have thought They were lying. It was too bizarre a tale for anyone to believe. You would have had to have some sort of hint, some slowly building doubts already in your head to even have the sliver of curiosity to smash through your disbelief and sway your decision. You-didn't-know."

Kim looked away helplessly, closing her eyes against the truth in Jenny's words that she couldn't yet let reach her heart. She'd spent too many years fueling her regret, her own personal judgment. In her eyes, she had no more right to live then those who shot him.

Jenny immediately saw that she'd have to constantly beat that into Kim's head, but she figured it was at least a start.

"So, afterwards, what happened?"

"I forgot about them. I started working on my own agenda and let them fade into the background. It wasn't until after I met you two and had introduced you that I began digging deeper."

"Were you married to Mankey at the time?"

"I married him two years after I disappeared from Middleton. It was probably only a few months after I met you and Georgia for the first time that I ran into him again. I'd been on the run for about a year."

"Why did you marry him?"

"… A lot of stupid reasons. Mostly because I'd foolishly thought to attach myself to my past that way." Kim rolled onto her side, trying to avoid Jenny's piercing gaze. "For a while, I thought it'd work. He was charming, and I was… settled. He was oblivious to what I was doing when he wasn't around, and I liked to pretend I had a life other then just blind revenge. We went out and did things, had the money to do what ever we wanted… and… it was fun. I thought I could trust him with my secret. I was wrong. After turning a blind eye to all his faults and all our problems for so long, when I finally made myself look, I was stunned and frustrated. I spent another year or two trying to figure out what I was going to do. Obviously, just recently, I decided it didn't matter. I picked up and ran. After all, when we married, I wasn't Kim Possible; I was Jody Harrison. There wasn't any paperwork that legally said I married him."

Jenny cocked her head to the side. "So, what was Jody like?"

The redhead smiled faintly. "Happy, free, headstrong, and outgoing. She lived… in a world of fantasy. For a while, everything was perfect. She was… a completely different person then… then I was when I took off my mask." Kim buried her face into her hands, not to cry, just to remember. "Reality hit whenever I took off my mask. I knew it was all fake, but… I cherished it. I even had a diary."

At Jenny's silence, Kim glanced up at her and saw the blond's devious smirk. Kim scowled threateningly. "Touch that diary, and I'll kill you."

"Who me?" Jenny cooed innocently, batting her eyelashes. Kim growled.

"Don't-you-dare."

Jenny's eyes narrowed and her lips spread into a devil dealing grin. Before Kim could say another word, the blond shot off the medic bed and out the door of the sick bay. Kim was after her in a heartbeat, roaring in threatening protest as Jenny ran down the hall giggling madly.

"Catch me if you can!"


	15. Chapter 15

Shego was smirking. Well, it was more like grinning, but no one dared say so. Why? Because everyone else was absent except for Kim.

They were standing outside of a bunker in the middle of some forest that the Military had fenced off and declared a "testing" zone. The bunker had been planted in the center of the place and was nearly impossible to find because of the rocky and heavily vegetated terrain. Only Wade's persistent scanning of the place finally located it. Off in two other countries, Georgia and Will, Jenny and Monique, were all equally on a mission.

Feeling Shego's intense stare on her backside, Kim rolled her eyes. Because of everyone's uncertainty about each other, they'd been split up into said groups. It was only agreed upon if one member of Kim's team was paired with one of the newcomers. No one wanted to get left behind, after all. Even Wade was working with Sandra.

Besides, Kim had a deadline to meet. She couldn't tackle all three missions by herself. Well, she probably could, but it would have been a lot harder and probably had a less then admirable outcome. Hence, she decided to put everyone's talents to use. Not that the three teams weren't well matched. Each team member compensated for their partner's flaws. Hence, Jenny's long range ability helped support Monique's close combat skills. Will, though he tended to rely on that stupid watch, still was skilled in hand-to-hand encounters, while Georgia could easily keep her distance and support him. Or vice versa, as Will usually liked to keep a measured distance with his handgun while Georgia seemed to thrive on getting up-close-and-personal with all of her foes.

And… her and Shego… What needed to be explained? They'd worked as a team in the past and had shown how capable they were by flitting through each challenge like it was nothing. Of all the teams set up, this one was probably the most frightening. Why? Will and Monique still had honorable intentions. They still went by a code. Where as, Jenny and Georgia made their own rulebook. Shego and Kim… heck, they'd lost the rulebook after their initial hero gigs were spent. Of all the teams, both participants had no qualms about stepping over the "what's right, what's not" line. They'd had to, in order to survive.

So… If the shit hit the fan, there'd be no stopping Kim and Shego. They'd blaze through the mess and come out grinning on the other side, leaving a wake of destruction behind them.

The only downside to the setup… was constantly feeling Shego's eyes on her and knowing that Georgia was going to do something unspeakable to her later in revenge. Which would only cause Shego to retaliate more…

Kim sighed irritably. Why couldn't the two of them grow up? Weren't there more important things going on right now?

Eyes glued to their target, Kim watched patiently for the changing of the guard. Shego had her gaze… firmly fixated on the redhead's ass. The green skinned woman was also thinking of all the delectable times she'd been tempted into grabbing that ass in the past. It only served to make her smirk more devious.

Kim internally grumbled to herself. A part of her was furious that the dark haired woman couldn't focus. The other half was preening under the attention. Ugh, it hadn't been _that_ long since she'd been admired, had it? I mean, hadn't she just been with Mankey… like… a few…

Crap. Had it been that long? No wonder she was all hot and bothered, and irritated because she couldn't alleviate any of her stresses. Stupid woman! Staring unabashed at her wasn't helping Kim's mood in the least! If Shego didn't stop, she'd either kill her or kiss her!

… No, wait, no kissing! Hell no! No kissy-kissy at all! God! The can of worms that would instigate! Focus Kim! Focus!

"Hey, here to relieve you!" called a new guard striding up from within the bunker.

The other guard grinned and stretched. "About damned time!"

Kim rolled here eyes, agreeing completely. As the two men conversed, she began sliding her way forward and along the rocky outcropping that lead to the entrance of the bunker. She didn't even have to look to know that Shego was following her. She could feel the woman's presence stalking quietly behind her.

Kim quickly slipped behind the guards and crept in close enough that she could smell the one guard's cologne.

Without warning or indication of her actions, Kim leapt out of her hiding place and knocked both guards out with her metal baton. Shego slipped up beside her with an appraising look. Kim just glared at her.

Trying to ignore Shego's smirking visage, Kim quickly made her way into the bunker. She activated a small device on her hip and calmly walked forward without any apparent caution at all.

Shego frowned and slipped closer. "You should be more on guard," she whispered softly. "Anyone could be around the next corner."

Kim tapped the device on her hip and then held up her wrist. Her watch was blinking with a small map of sorts. Two red dots lay behind two green dots, and four more lay in a corridor to the right.

Shego's eyes widened. "Is that-?!"

"It's the complete layout of the bunker, plus an indicator on heat signatures. Ours have already been programmed in so we won't mistake each other as enemies if we get separated. The other device has over-ridden the security systems and hidden cameras. We're like ghosts."

"Wait, you said we-"

"If you press the wide button twice on the right of the watch that Sandra gave you, you'll bring up the same map. It's pointless to use them both right now. If we're close to anyone I'll show you on mine. You'll only need yours in case we get separated."

"How do you know where you're going? Does the map have that on there too?"

Kim remained silent a moment. "I have a different method for locating our target."

Confused, Shego opened her mouth to ask when Kim held up her hand for silence. She then held up two fingers and pointed to the corridor to their right. Shego nodded and flattened herself against the wall closest to the corridor, inching closer until she was only millimeters away from sliding past the corner and being in plain view of whoever was in the corridor.

Kim crouched down where she stood, watching the corner unblinkingly.

It was only a short while before they both heard voices and footsteps coming closer. Neither woman moved.

Two men came around the corner, armed with automatic rifles. Kim and Shego struck before either man saw their attackers. Their bodies hit the floor with soft 'whumps'. Kim merely pushed their bodies to the side against the wall. Other then that, she spared them no attention as she briskly entered the corridor they'd just exited. Shego followed silently, once more on high alert.

They traveled deep underground, knocking out guards every ten yards or so. Their progress was swift and un-noticed. By their calculations, changing of the guard was every fifteen minutes. That would give them plenty of time to make it to the lower floors before someone suspected foul play.

And they did just that. They were just breezing down to the second lower level when the alarms finally blared to life.

Shego sighed and rolled her eyes. "Joy. Now the party starts."

"They'll be of no consequence," Kim said crisply.

"Hello? Automatic weapons!"

Kim glanced at her while she fiddled with a control panel. "I repeat, no consequence. Those types of weapons actually use lasers, not bullets. I've already programmed a force field that will repel the shots if you can't dodge fast enough. To activate it, you just need to hit the small green button on the top and scroll down to the LP on the list; hit the button on the left and your force field will shimmer to life. Be pre-warned, the force field has a limited amount of damage it can take before it shorts out. You can probably take up to ten to sixteen hits before you're in trouble."

"Ten to sixteen? No definite number?"

Kim shrugged. "It depends on how high their lasers are set. If they're up to maximum capacity for lethal shots, it will be ten. If it's lower, it's sixteen. If everyone has their guns set differently, it's somewhere in the middle of that."

Shego gaped at her while she finished with the panel and the door before them slid open.

"How on earth do you know all this?!" demanded Shego. "Didn't you just find this target yesterday? How did you even get everything ready in time?!"

Kim lead her through the door and to a hallway to their right.

"I've been prepared for a long time," Kim said simply. "I've been making plans since the day I died. To succeed, I needed to be prepared for anything. That meant coming up with ways to null or eradicate anything I would be forced to come up against."

"But how would you know what you'd be up against?" asked Shego.

"I investigated all the recent weapon advancements and shipments. If it looked like trouble, I found out how to get around it."

"And if they have real bullets in reserve?" questioned Shego.

Kim reached into her belt and pulled out a small metal disc. She showed it to Shego, being careful not to allow Shego to touch it lest she activate it. "This disc is highly magnetic. But, it's only engineered to react to bullets. Well, the type of metal usually found in bullets. Different discs are used for different metals. Sometimes it's necessary to throw out more then one. It's magnetic power is so strong, that if placed correctly, it will alter the course of bullets, if not fully repel them."

"What?! How?!"

"It's the negative reaction. Instead of drawing the bullets in, I made it so the bullets would be repelled, like when you flip one magnet next to another and have their forces repel each other instead of draw them in. If you misplace the disc, however, you very well might direct the bullets right to you."

Shego gaped at her. "And that _works_?"

"Yes. I've field tested it numerous times. I use them every time I spar with Jenny. She has a tendency to play with real toys instead of using rubber bullets and the like. She insists that it's so I don't go lax because of false circumstances. I think it's just because she wants to see if she can actually hit me and prove my little devices and skills faulty." Kim looked thoughtful a breath. "I do need to be careful though. She's very good at making me run around in certain patterns. If I don't watch myself and pay attention to where I throw them and where she's aiming, she' nicks me with a few well placed bullets."

Shego, pale as she was, managed to pale further. "You're both insane."

"Most of the time," Kim quipped without any hesitation at all. She rounded a corner and knocked out a guard. "Any more questions?"

Pausing a moment, Shego allowed herself time to ponder the question. "What exactly are we after?"

"A small spherical piece of electronics that looks like a simple marble," Kim said flatly.

"Where is it? In case we get separated and I need to find it alone."

"You won't need to worry about that. Perchance we do get separated, you get to play the distraction." Kim watched as Shego clocked a man and he slumped to the floor.

"Gee, thanks," remarked Shego dryly. She frowned and grabbed Kim's arm, pushing her up against the wall. She stared hard into her eyes. "Can't you trust me? We're not enemies anymore. In case you haven't noticed, I'm fighting _with_ you. Why won't you tell me what's really going on?"

Kim stared back, green eyes digging into Shego's. "Because you can't handle the reality."

Shego scowled, fingers digging into Kim's arm. "What do you mean?"

"You're eyes..." Kim answered. "It's in your eyes. You're barely coping with what's already been thrown at you. You're still trying to digest the fact I seem superhuman. You're still trying to understand the fact that everyone tried to kill me, people I trusted and worked for, people who were supposed to be doing the right thing. You feel betrayed, knowing what they've done to me, what they were willing to do and how far they went. You're already overwhelmed. To add more, even more bizarre then the rest, it would surely crush you."

"You can't know that," Shego said lowly.

"Yes I can," Kim stated boldly.

"How?" demanded Shego. "How can you possibly know my mind?"

"Because I was there," Kim replied bluntly. "I had the exact same eyes. I had the exact same emotions brewing inside of me. I know the weight of truth because I've already been crushed by it. You need time to digest the first pill. Even after you have, it's still nearly impossible to swallow the ones that follow."

"Would you tell me after I've digested?" Shego gazed searchingly into her eyes.

"Who knows. By then, it might be too late and the truth will come out on it's own." Kim pushed past her and continued her trek deeper into the bunker.


	16. Chapter 16

"Registration code accepted," rang out a monotone voice. The door clinked and hissed as locks were released. A man gulped, surrounded by armed soldiers. He trembled, eyes locked on the door.

No one was supposed to be able to breach this place. It was supposed to be impossible. Every recorded attempt ended in failure before anyone even reached the lowest level. And here they were, at guard, the last standing wall between the intruders and their secreted away treasure. His eyes shifted to the glowing cage to his right. Inside, an indistinguishable shape floated in a curled up ball.

Machine guns opened fire, lighting up the entire hallway beyond the door with bullets and lasers. The man flinched from the loud noise. He covered his head from the onslaught of raining cartridges that steamed with heat in the cool atmosphere.

After a long moment of non-stop firing, the soldier in charge held up a hand and all the weapons ceased fire at once. The last empty shell fell with a resounding *ping* to the floor.

"Wow, they're terrible shots," said a woman nonchalantly.

All the men instantly readied their guns. There wasn't enough room for someone to hide on either side of the door… And no one stood in the hallway.

A blond head dropped down from above, upside-down. Jenny grinned widely, eyes alight with excitement. "Click, click boom."

Just as fingers began to pull triggers, Jenny opened fire. With frightening ease and skill, she took out every last single soldier. The last man standing was the only man not wearing a gun.

Flipping effortlessly, Jenny dropped down from her upside-down position to land comfortably on her feet. It barred the man's only escape route.

"W-who are you?!" he demanded, eyes wide with fright. He hadn't signed up for this! He wasn't supposed to be in danger!

A second woman slid out from a panel in the floor just inside the room. The man took a step back in alarm as the mocha colored woman exited the hidden tunnel and stood next to the blond.

"Me?" asked the blond, eyes wild and grin feral. Two new magazines slid into her guns with satisfying clicks. "You can call me Dr. Director." Her grin widened as his eyes grew in panicked confusion. "We're here to retrieve something that doesn't belong to you."

His eyes darted to the second woman whom had her gaze leveled at him calmly.

"BFF of KD," said the mocha skinned woman.

The blond twitched.

The man's brow scrunched in confusion. What on earth did _that_ mean?!

Loud uncontrolled laughter broke his thoughts. He jerked slightly to find the blond cackling, sides heaving as she waved her gun around crazily with one hand and tucked the other to her stomach as if catching her breath.

Utterly confounded now, he let his gaze dart back and forth between the two of them. Figuring he might be able to sneak away or hide while they were distracted, he started inching backwards.

*click*

He found himself staring down the barrel of a pistol. Sweat prickled his brow, and the strong stench of urine filled the air. The blond glared at him, hazel eyes piercing and dark.

"You have thirty seconds to download all of your data onto this chip and unlock sleeping beauty in that cage over there."

His gaped. "B-but you can't! It's-!"

Jenny smashed the butt of her pistol into his face. It was hard, but not hard enough to break his jaw. He cried out and fell to the floor clasping his swelling wound. He moaned in pain, but a boot to the shin shut him up quickly. He found Dr. Director standing over him threateningly. He whimpered.

"Get up," she said coldly. She waved the barrel of the pistol at him. He shakily got to his feet. "I didn't ask you for any god-damn back talk. I told you to download your files and open that cage. If you speak any further, I'll make sure to break some bones this time."

He whimpered as she prodded him with her pistol towards the long panel of controls in the center of the room. He quickly shuffled his feet closer so he could reach the keys. Once he was close enough his hands flew across the panel with practiced ease. Trembling with fear, he watched in silence as the files quickly filed themselves away into the chip the mocha skinned woman had placed in an open USB slot. He couldn't even figure out how the damned thing fit in there! Or how come it worked.

The gun pressed into the back of his skull, and he swallowed thickly.

"The locks," commanded the blond, her voice eerily close even though he couldn't feel her breath on his neck.

He chocked down bile as he quickly rushed through another set of security firewalls. It only took seconds, but it felt like eternity. He sighed in relief when the tell-tale sucking sound alerted everyone that the cage was being drained of fluids and the gun was pulled away from his head.

The woman leaned forward to retrieve the chip, as the files had finished transferring. He thought he was going to be let go… except the blond turned to him with a solemn visage. "Good job, pal. You're work here is done."

As she lifted her gun, the mocha skinned one clocked him. He slid unconsciously to the floor.

The blond pouted. "Why did you do that?"

Monique frowned. "I know he's going to die anyway, but _you_ don't need to add any more deaths to your list of crimes."

"But he _would_ be added!" argued Jenny.

"Not directly. A bomb isn't the same as shooting someone point blank."

Jenny huffed but didn't pursue it further.

Monique smirked and lifted an eyebrow, causing the blond to look at her warily. "What?"

"So… you're a Director, huh?"

Jenny blushed, and she had no idea why. To cover it up, she huffed and crossed her arms moodily. "Yeah, what of it?"

Monique chuckled. "I just find it amusing you're stealing your mom's title."

"I'm not stealing it!" roared Jenny. "I totally earned my Doctorates!"

"Really? Interesting." And before the blond could respond, Monique walked towards the cage.

Jenny growled and followed her over. Just as they stopped before it, the door popped open and something rolled out onto the floor.

Jenny leapt away with a roar.

"HOLY SHEE-ITE!"

---------Across the Pacific---------

"You touch it."

"Like hell. You grab it."

"Not bloody likely. You're the man. You _like _grabbing weird gross stuff. _You_ grab it."

Will Due gave his new "partner" a flat look. "That, is a stereotype."

Georgia shrugged and scowled. "I don't care. I'm not touching that."

Will glared at her before looking back at the object in front of them.

It glowed eerily in the low light. The thing had to only be about the size of his fist, but it was _pulsating_! And this oozy stuff was seeping out of it in a disgusting manner, half filling the tray it lay in. Will almost grimaced, stomach actually roiling.

"If neither of us takes it, we're not going to complete our mission," Will stated soundly.

Alarms blared loudly overhead, but neither of them paid attention to it. Slumped bodies were scattered everywhere in the room. A glass window, shattered and broken to their left, had sent glass skittering across the floor and crunched under their feet as they shifted uncomfortably.

"Then we're screwed," answered Georgia. Both of them were in silent rivalry on who was loosing their composed image first. So far, they had remained evenly tied, even if Will was taunt as a bow string and Georgia was gripping her knives so tightly her knuckles were white.

"We can't leave without it." Will swallowed and turned to look at Georgia.

She gladly redirected her attention, staring hard into Will's dark eyes. "I-am-not-touching-it."

Will huffed. "Then stop arguing and help me find a way to transport it without either of us having to touch it."

Georgia watched him warily, but he simply spun away and started scanning the room. When he didn't seem to be plotting anything underhanded, Georgia let her eyes rove over the room.

As it was a lab, she figured they had to have _something_ to put the stupid thing in. Kim had been very specific that it couldn't be out in direct sunlight, and that even brightly lit rooms were dangerous to it. Georgia mentally shuddered. The disgusting thing was squishy and blobby looking. She figured it must dry out or something under the light, hence it couldn't be in it. So, they either needed to stuff it into a bag or find a box for it. Seeing as the cloth bag they brought would leak, they were left to finding a box. Neither wanted to let that goo ooze out of the bag and get on them. The very idea made them both gag.

"Hey!" called Will. She turned to find him leaning over a shelf. "There's a device over here that looks like a small fridge. I bet this is used to transport it."

She wandered over to find him heaving the bulky thing onto the shelf. Once he righted it, both of them looked it over critically.

"It looks like the door seals too," Georgia said, pointing to the locking mechanisms. She glanced over her shoulder. "I bet the tray even fits in there."

"Agreed." Will opened the door.

They both stared at the container a moment in silence. Will inhaled deeply through his nose then exhaled sharply. "Right."

Without another word, he marched right over to the tray and somberly picked it up. Georgia quickly edged about two meters away and let him walk past her to slide the tray into the boxy container. He quickly shut the door and locked it. As soon as the container beeped to assure that it's sealed, both of them exhaled softly in relief. If either of them heard each other, they didn't make comment as Will promptly grabbed the handle on the top of the container and turned to Georgia.

"Do you have the device?"

The Goth held up a small cube that was clear. Inside hovered a small pyramid object pierced with many odd needle looking things, some of the needles bent in weird places and at odd angles. "We've got everything. The bomb has been set as well."

Will nodded sharply. "I will signal Wade that we are ready to make our exit."

Georgia pushed by him and into the hall. "Good. I hate having to spend more time in China then I have to."

"Have you been to China before?" asked Will. He wasn't really interested in an answer. He just wanted something to take his mind off what lay inside the box he was carrying.

"No. But my family owns a large host of cheap child laborers camps all over the place here."

The remark certainly took the Asian boy's mind off of the box. "Your family?"

Georgia snorted. "I don't associate with them."

----------Bunker-----------

"Fuck you," growled Kim. She-was-pissed.

She was scrunched up into an odd ball shape, knees smashed into her face and feet above her head. Her right arm was pinned between her and the wall, and her left was mashed between Shego's breasts and thighs.

Shego, despite the fact she was scowling and quite irritated as well, couldn't resist one little jibe. "With pleasure," she purred. A small hiss of pain escaped her teeth as Kim jerked her arm and dug her elbow into Shego's ribs.

Shego was in no better of a position then Kim. Both of her legs were stretched upward and flat against the wall of their confinement, but also, they were pressed firmly along her torso. So, her legs basically wedged her between the wall and Kim's side. She had little room to breathe, and both her arms were pinned at odd angles. She couldn't move at all. Even her head was pinned between her knees and Kim's collar. Kim could at least kick her feet around.

"Why did you have to push the stupid button?!" snarled Kim. They were in a vent like shaft. It had been under a trap door that neither of them knew was there.

Shego had thought she'd get even with the redhead and take charge of finding their target when they'd hit the room it was supposed to be held in. However, it wasn't sitting out in the open, like they'd hoped. Instead, it was tucked securely into some hidden part of the room. Shego thought she'd be clever and find a button that revealed the hidden compartment. It used to work at Drakken's all the time. So, she pushed a button that just screamed "push-me". And she had.

Then the trapdoor opened before either of them could move. Only luck had saved them from finding out what was at the bottom. However, it left them in their current predicament.

"Why do they even have that button?!" groused Shego.

"Obviously, to catch thieves!" retorted Kim. "I knew this was a bad idea! I _knew_ I should have left you all out of it! I can't _believe_ I'm stuck like this!"

"Hey! It's not that bad!"

"Yes it is!" bellowed Kim. "We didn't even get what we were after! After cutting our way all the way through the damned bunker, you got us stuck in a damned booby-trap! What kind of thief are you?!"

"Hey! Do you want me to light your ass on fire?!" Shego flared her hand a bit for emphasis.

"Yeah right! You'd burn your own ass! You aren't immune to-!" Kim stopped mid sentence. "Actually, yeah, burn it."

"I will! I'll-! … Wait, what?"

"Burn it! Light up your plasma! Hurry up!"

"…" Shego stared at her knees, quite an interesting expression on her face. "Kimmie, when did you get into stuff _that_ kinky? I mean really, that type of-"

"Shego!" bellowed Kim. A heavy blush stained the redhead's face. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"You know, S&M. I mean, wow. I never thought you'd be-"

"SHEGO!" Kim's voice echoed up and down the vent. If the green skinned woman could have seen her face, she would have been amused at how perturbed the redhead was. "That's not what I'm talking about at all! Get your head out of the gutter!"

"Seeing as we're in the gutter, how do you purpose to get it out?" questioned Shego.

Kim instantly dug her elbow into Shego's ribs. "Will you shut up and just do what you're told?!"

"Wow, really getting into character now, aren't you?" Shego snickered.

"Oh-! For crying out loud!" Kim started squirming violently. The motions smashed Shego into an even tighter space and did nothing more then make them both more stuck.

"Hey! Knock it off! You're squashin' me!"

Kim ignored her. She kept wriggling until she finally managed to unpin her right arm. With a hearty cheer of accomplishment, she then set to the task of figuring out how to hit the buttons on her watch with her chin.

"GAH!" Shego couldn't even lift a hand to cover her face. "*cough* What the hell?! *cough cough* Why are you dispersing smoke in this thing?! *cough* You're going to smother us!"

"Oh relax! It's already dissipating!" The redhead hit another button.

*ping!*

"Ouch!" Shego winced and looked up to find a dart stuck in her calf after ricocheting off the wall. "Ah! What was in that thing?! My leg is going numb!"

"It'll wear off in twenty minutes," mumbled Kim, her attention on her watch. She squinted at it in the darkness. "Man, I can't even find the button that turns on the light."

"What's that?! What are you playing with back there?! I am _not_ into S&M! So knock it off!"

Rolling her eyes, the redhead continued to examine her watch. "I'm trying to free us, seeing as you won't listen to anything I say."

She hit another button.

*pwap!* A net spit out and fell over the top of them in a messy heap.

"Yeah, that's working _so_ well," replied Shego.

"Shut up. _You're _ not doing anything useful." Kim hit another button.

"SHIT!" both of them cursed.

"My eyes! God damn it! My eyes! Why the hell are you shooting off pepper spray?! Are you mental?!"

"It was an accident! I can't hit the buttons properly! If you haven't noticed, my other arm is pinned between your thunder thighs and your boobs!"

"Thunder thighs?! That's it, you're dead!"


	17. Chapter 17

Everyone was hovering in the living room. They had each gotten back only an hour or two from each other except one team. Wade watched nervously as Jenny sprawled out across the couch playing with her pistols, and Georgia paced impatiently while her hands fingered the throwing knives on her person. He knew these two the least, and they had threatened him multiple times. He was hoping that their nervous waiting would soon be at rest so they didn't continue to wring everyone's nerves with theirs. Monique was watching Jenny with slight curiosity while a certain black haired agent stood stiffly next to a silent Sandra who was pecking restlessly at her keyboard.

It was disconcerting to see how badly these different personalities meshed without their single focal point to hold them together. Even though the hyperactive gunslinger, the Goth, and the genius were a team, they didn't seem to acknowledge much of each other when Kim wasn't present. It was strange to witness. Wade hadn't realized what Kim's personality did for each of them until watching them start to unravel with her absence.

Georgia was more frigid than normal. Her entire black clad figure, beautiful and sculpted as it was, screamed isolation and danger. It shouted silent warnings that dared anyone to challenge her solitude. However, even though her eyes were ice, they also held a tint of worry and a slight tinge of abandonment. He was certain that if anyone approached her, she'd explode violently, no matter consequence.

Jenny was unnerving everyone with her indecipherable tune that she kept humming. It was off cadence and as haunting as it was jaunty. Her hands were constantly cleaning, polishing, or aiming her pistol at an invisible foe. Her smile was wide and gaze half lidded. She looked rather demented, off kilter. The way her fingers lovingly caressed her pistols made him far more disturbed than he cared to admit. It didn't help that she kept chambering a live round and then popping it back out again after twirling her gun dramatically in her hand. He couldn't decide if she was doing it for show or not. After all, they'd all seen how insightful the blond could be when she chose to show them the other piece of herself.

Sandra was oddly taciturn. He had first thought she was a pretty focused but easy going person. However, her pensive face and un-relinquished scowl were not comforting. Her hands flew across the keyboard imputing things he couldn't keep up with. Whatever she was doing, she wasn't pleased with any of the outcomes. Her scowl only grew fiercer. It didn't help she kept pausing to hold her hand close to her chest, as if trying to grasp at a something but then changing her mind and continuing in her relentless typing. He wondered if he looked that distant when he worked. And, despite the fact she was one of the one's that wasn't fond of him, he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked. He dare not actually think any further than that. He'd start losing body parts. However, he did notice that her glasses had slid down her pert nose to sit precariously as her dark eyes squinted at the screen. Her sandy hair fell around her face in soft waves. Her long nimble fingers were graceful and skilled as they flashed across the keyboard. Even dressed in a baggy sweater and jeans, the girl looked to have a nice slim figure.

He shook his head quickly. It was unwise to get involved. Especially right now.

Monique noticed the motion and glanced at him questioningly. He shook his head with a sigh.

Will saw the motion and cleared his throat. "Any news?"

Wade shook his head. "I still haven't got a bead on them. The bases are well hidden and expertly rigged to block all kinds of tracking and communication devices. I'd need an inside bug to even hope to break through."

"So we're still not sure what's happened to them, and we still don't have answers," growled Georgia. She ran her fingers through her fly away black hair. Her dark lips curled in disgust. "She should have been the first one back. Especially with THAT woman." Her distaste of Shego made the temperature in the room sink even further.

Jenny sighed, dropping the grin and looking serious. Her group had been the first to arrive after their mission and had remained the most composed. "Georgia, enough. As much as this is unexpected, we know how off the wall Red can be. She's probably ripping the place apart with her bare hands." Her eyes drifted to the ceiling. "Red has never let us down."

Georgia snarled but couldn't refute the comment. That didn't ease her ire, however. Her stance grew even stiffer as she shuffled about a moment, clearly looking for an object to destroy. Without warning, she threw one of her knives at the door just as it swung open.

"FUCK!" yelped a voice.

Everyone gasped as a thud was heard. As everyone readied themselves to run to the door, it went flying into the room as it was kicked off its hinges.

A very disgruntled and disheveled Kim walked in, followed closely by an equally ragged Shego.

"Georgie! WTF? I mean seriously! As if I _hadn't _already had a shitty ass three days!" Kim stormed into the room and plopped unceremoniously on top of Jenny's stomach, who, let out a grunt. Kim tossed the Goth's knife to her, looking as if she could melt the blade with looks alone.

Shego was oddly moody for having spent the past three days with the object of her affections. She stomped through the room and into the hall with the guest rooms. It puzzled everyone in the room as they tried to figure out what had happened as they glanced between the retreating hero and the redhead on the couch.

Just as Georgia opened her mouth to demand answers, a high pitched scream made them all jump.

Shego came barreling into the room looking even paler than usual. She was pointing wildly behind her as she stuttered over her words. "W-w-what the HELL-?"

Kim rolled her head in Shego's direction with irritation clear on her face. Just as she was about to snap out a snarky comment, a person appeared in the hallway Shego had just run from.

Kim blinked.

A lot.

"Shit," she said flatly, staring into her own face.

The redheaded clone in the hall looked just as disconcerted as she did, also looking ready to bolt.

"W-who are you people?" asked the redhead in the hall. She was an exact replica of Kim before she'd… well, before she'd died. She even looked to be eighteen, the same age Kim had been when she'd been "killed". Her hair was the same length, same style, and even the girl's clothes looked reminisce of the dead hero's.

It unnerved everyone looking at her, all reliving ghosts of the past.

Kim groaned and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "This is just great. Just fan-fucking-tastic." She sighed and dropped her hand so she could stare into her own green eyes. "I'm Kim."

The other redhead frowned. "That's… not possible," she answered defiantly.

Kim rolled her eyes. "Why? Because that's the name of the file they had on you?"

The other redhead flinched before straightening again. "How would you know?"

"If it isn't obvious, you're my clone."

Silence.

A small squeaky yawn broke through the air and drew all their eyes to a smaller white haired girl entering the room carrying a very tattered looking pandaroo. Kim's eye twitched upon spotting it but bit her tongue as the ten year old looking child ambled across the floor and crawled into Kim's lap. "Momma, why is Aunty being mean?"

Several loud thuds hit the floor unanimously.


	18. Chapter 18

The silence was palpable. After a few minutes of reviving everyone that had passed out, Kim found herself being the object of many harsh and confused stares. It was unnerving, to say the least. It didn't help that the ten year old child in her lap was starting to whimper and wiggle around in fear.

Rubbing her eyes tiredly, Kim dropped her hand to stare blankly back at them, eyes looking through rather than at. "What a great day…"

Georgia finally managed to get her bearings, and… grow a pair enough to be the first to speak. After all, everyone was afraid to ask her 'WTH' anymore. They were starting to fear the answers.

"Okay Red, normally, I think I'm a pretty tolerant person."

Jenny snorted loudly.

Kim actually snickered.

"Georgie, tolerant is _not_ the word I'd use." Kim gave her a meaningful look.

The Goth rolled her eyes and then pointed a thin finger at the child sitting in Kim's lap. "I wanna know what the deal is with the brat. I can actually understand the damn clone. The kid?"

Kim sighed. "Well, before you get your panties in a twist, it wasn't my fault."

Georgia twitched. "How is having a kid not your fault?"

Stupid reasonable questions… Kim growled softly before fluffing the child's hair, letting the soft strands run through her fingers. Oddly enough, it was almost as calming as rolling around the M-14 shell.

"When I first hit puberty, a… sample was taken. I was too young to know what was going on. My… Dr. Possible assured me that everything was routine. When I was sixteen they fertilized the egg with a sperm donor. To be honest, I'd only just started finding scattered data about it. I found her a couple years ago, hidden away in a restricted lab in Arizona. The scientists she was with weren't bad, and I couldn't afford to take her with me. I… came to an understanding with them, and they allowed me to come visit under the radar." She glanced at Jenny and Monique. "I'm assuming you found the clone as well?"

The two of them nodded. Jenny snorted. "Scared the be-jeezies outta me too. You have any idea how weird it was to run into your clone?"

Kim stared at her. "Did you grab any files there? Not just the electronic, but the paper files?"

Jenny snorted. "There _weren't_ any paper files. I looked. All her files are electronic. It was only luck that she was conked out when we got there. Made it easy to transport the two of them."

Kim stared at her clone. "I know this is wiggin' for you, but here's the low down. I'm Kim. I'm the freak of nature they created you from. They kept you in the lab in hopes you wouldn't reach your full potential." Kim smirked. "Here's hoping you do. But, to the point, until all the labs are taken care of, you're a permanent resident. After all this is destroyed, you're free to do whatever the hell you want. Clear?"

"Why do I have to listen to you?" came the cocky reply. "Just because you're the original-"

"They'll kill you," Kim said flatly. "The moment the base was struck your life became forfeit. They can't risk you having come in contact with me and changing the variables they charted out. Now that you run the risk of being influenced by outside sources, you are no longer a valid test subject. They will destroy you and start over."

The clone blinked, looking startled. "T-they wouldn't!"

"They would. No, they have. There have been five clones prior to you. The only reason they don't exist is because I happened to pop in unexpectedly. The first two times, I had no idea they existed until after they were destroyed. The next two I tried to hustle out of the area, but they were too obedient to listen. They were killed too. The fifth one…" Kim actually stopped a breath, tears threatening to fall. "The fifth one believed me. She left with me, and we managed to get her into hiding. I… ran into an old friend, her in tow. He was… really religious. He started a riot with other church goers. They… they chased us down and slaughtered her."

Kim looked away a breath, eyes dark and empty. A fist clenched over her abdomen, as if feeling a phantom pain.

"Five?" whispered the clone. "There have been five of me?"

Kim took a shaky breath and nodded. "Yes. I know this is completely out of left field and not at all what you were expecting, but please, for your own safety, don't go back. I think enough of me has been destroyed, don't you?" Kim gave her a wistful smile.

The clone just trembled while staring unblinkingly at her. Kim sighed.

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to understand what the hell those people think of you. You are a lab rat to them, a test subject. If you don't perform to their standards, you are to be eliminated. I will give you sanctuary until it is safe or until you find a place of your own." Kim took it as the end of that subject and turned to her daughter. "Now, Lily, did you remember to keep that ring with you everywhere?"

The child nodded excitedly. "I did! They wanted me to take it off, but I told 'em it was a gift 'nd I'd be upset if they took it! They let me wears it all da' time!"

Kim smiled widely. "Good girl. Do you mind if I have it back for a minute? Mommy needs to make sure it still shines like it's supposed to."

"Otay!" Lily removed the ring and placed it onto Kim's palm.

"Thank you honey, I'll give it back when I'm done." She looked up to eye the other occupants in the room. "Um, clone, what did they call you?"

"Subject 6K1."

"Seriously?" Kim groaned. "I hate scientists. Well, you're now going to be Fiona."

'Fiona' blinked. "Fiona? You're naming me?"

"Of course I'm naming you. I named clone five Barbra. She didn't really like it, but… meh. Anyway, can you take Lily to the kitchen and get her something to eat?"

It was clear that Kim was giving Fiona a chance to let things sink in and get the child out of the room while the adults talked. Fiona smiled gratefully as she picked up Lily and wandered out of the room.

Kim sighed. "Okay, I take it you all got your marks?" She sank backwards into the sofa, ignoring Sloth's groan of protest.

"Affirmative," reported Will.

"AHAF," answered Monique.

"AHAF?" questioned Sandra.

"All here and accounted for," replied Monique with a grin

"Okay, now spill," retorted Jenny. She'd been dying to ask since the two of them had entered the door. "What the hell happened to you two?" She raised an eyebrow at the two most torn up pair.

Kim and Shego exchanged glares.

"SOMEONE thought it wise to press a big-red-button!" hissed Kim.

"Someone ELSE thought it wise to start fiddling with a net, a Taser, a tranq, pepper spray, and a god damned smoke bomb in confined quarters!"

"Confined quarters that SOMEONE got us stuck in by hitting that stupid button!"

"YEAH? Well someone ELSE thought that-"

"ENOUGH!" roared Georgia. She leveled a heated stare at both of them. "You BOTH fucked up? Seriously?"

Both huffed and looked away moodily, but it was easy to see the sheepishness in their eyes.

Jenny burst out laughing. "Oh my GOD! You two are morons! Weren't you supposed to be the dream team?"

Kim sneered at Shego. "It's not _my_ fault the thief lost her touch. It took us six HOURS to get out of that mess!"

Will smirked. "I'm impressed Miss Go. I never took you one for falling into such simple traps."

"ALRIGHT already! I fucked up! Will you DROP it already?" Shego threw her hands into the air with a growl.

After a small round of chuckles, Kim cleared her throat.

"Time to get back on topic. We've currently got all the pieces I need to finish things. The sad thing is that we still haven't destroyed the main control center. The main base is not here in the states. It's actually in Australia. Who wants to send them all to Hell?"

Everyone gave a shout or growl in confirmation. Kim smirked. "Good. Then, while you're all taking care of them, I'll head to the other area of interest and destroy it."

"WHAT?" roared several voices at once.

Jenny sat up abruptly, almost throwing Kim to the floor. "If you think you're going to be doing that suicide mission, guess again," Jenny said lowly. She grabbed Kim's chin and forced her to look into her eyes. "If you go ANYWHERE near there, I'm going too."

"You won't be in their league," answered Kim, staring hard into those hazel eyes. "You'll be in the way."

"Will I? I'd be a good distraction. It would give you the opportunity to lay the trap."

"No, it would mean you would get trapped in the blast as well," answered Kim.

"Then think of a better plan," demanded Jenny. "There's no fucking way you're dying on me. You're all the family I got left." Jenny smirked. "Besides, no one gets to destroy my pillow but me." She ruffled Kim's short hair.

Kim growled and ducked away.

As this exchange happened, Shego and Georgia were giving each other a rather meaningful stare. With a nearly invisible nod, they both stepped forward and hovered threateningly over Kim.

"We do realize we don't take shit from no one, right?" asked Georgia.

"And you do realize that there's no way in hell you're allowed to do something as stupid as a suicide mission without either of us beating some sense into you, right?" continued Shego.

Kim actually shied away from them, looking unnerved that the two seemed to have teamed up. Really, both women were threats on their own. Together? Start hightailing it outta the country.

"Either you let us in on this dirty little secret…" started Shego.

"Or we force ourselves into it and make shit of your plans," finished Georgia.

Kim growled in frustration, throwing herself to her feet. "You have NO idea what the hell you're talking about. Walking into that fight will be suicide for you ALL. You have no idea what you'd be dealing with!"

"And you'd fair better how?" demanded Georgia. "Because you can do anything?"

"YES!" roared Kim. "That's the whole god damned point! I CAN do anything! That's why it has to be me! I'm the only one that even stands a snowball in hells chance against them! They are PERFECT!"

That made everyone pause.

"What are you talking about?" Shego asked slowly, arms crossed stubbornly over her ample bosom.

Kim snarled irritably. "NEVERMIND!" She stormed out of the room before anyone could stop her.

-Kitchen-

Fiona watched silently as Kim stormed in and started banging around through the cupboards restlessly. After watching a while and allowing Lily to get all riled up too, Fiona softly whispered into the child's ear and sent her back into the living room before turning to her irate… self.

Fiona contemplated her life. Yeah, she'd been made as a clone. Yeah, she doesn't remember anything beyond five months ago. Yes, she'd been trained to be an unfeeling machine that followed orders to the letter. But was that her? No. She'd silently fought tooth and nail every one of their orders, every little fiber of her being feeling that her whole existence was a lie. She wanted nothing to do with them or their rules. She hated living like a puppet, terrified that she'd been too defiant and would be punished severely or put to sleep forever. Even if she'd adamantly refused to admit it, she knew deep down, that they would kill her if she failed to meet expectations.

She'd heard the whispers. She'd actually seen small videos when they thought she was unconscious. She knew who Kim was. She saw what she'd done when she was still a hero. She knew what they expected of her, and she knew what they'd do if she started performing too well. She learned to lie very quickly, a trait that the original had never been forced to learn.

She snorted softly before shaking away her memories, few as they were.

"Perfect, huh?" she commented casually. She leaned up against the counters and crossed her arms.

Kim froze. She turned slowly to gaze evenly at Fiona.

Fiona smirked. "If perfection is what you're looking for, you do realize there's two of you now, right?"

Kim's face remained professionally blank. She didn't even twitch. After a lengthy pause, she slowly shut the fridge door and faced her clone fully. "Just because you _are_ a clone doesn't mean you have to be _treated_ like a photocopy. You have your own life."

Fiona smiled wistfully at that. "Yeah, that'd be nice. But, fact of the matter is, without doing whatever the hell it is you're doing, it probably won't end. That means I don't get a life either."

They had a staring contest, neither one backing down.

"You can't come. You'll be killed."

"If I don't come, you definitely will be. Besides the fact it'd be nice not to get the willies every time I look at you, I don't want you disappearing." Fiona frowned and looked away. "I don't understand the concept of a family, but from my understanding, you're the closest thing I've got. I'm not about to let it get blown to bits before I even get to experience a normal life."

Kim frowned, finally breaking her icy exterior. "I don't want any more lives lost. Not to this. Not to Them."

"If it's that important, all the more reason you don't go alone." Fiona didn't back down an inch. If anything, she stood up straighter, thrusting her shoulders back and lifting her head high. "I'm not the original. But, even though the records don't show it, I'm just as good. I'm the _only_ one you can trust to do this."

Silence fell between them. It was heavy, stifling. Neither moved.

After a seeming eternity, Fiona spoke again. It was soft, almost too quiet for Kim to hear. "Wha… What was number five like?"

Kim flinched. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, letting her thoughts travel down roads she'd tried vainly to forget.

"She was… much kinder than me… She'd always be stopping to help someone out, even if it was just to cross the street or because they were short on change at the market…She didn't hate anyone… not even the ones that… that created her. She…" Kim sniffed noisily, hand discreetly wiping at her eyes. "She didn't even hate the bastards that killed her. She just… kept smiling…" Turning her back to Fiona, she continued softly. "She always used to tell me that… I didn't have to carry the world on my shoulders. It was… God's job. I just had to do the best I could with life and let God deal with the consequences, even if they were not my own."

"When did she learn about God?"

Kim chuckled humorlessly. "From a bible at a hotel we stopped at. She read the whole thing while I was busy trying to keep our pursuers from finding us. How did you learn?"

"A bible I stole from one of the scientist's desks. It was the only drawer they didn't lock."

There was a loud snort, but neither knew what Kim meant by it so neither made comment. After a dreadfully awkward moment, Kim sighed and straightened.

"Life sucks, Fiona. There's no sugar coating it, no getting around it. We're lucky if we make it bearable, but sometime we're royally fucked. Be that as it may, it only means that all those small moments of happiness are all that more important. Of the two of us, you are the least comforted by such events."

"And will continue to be so unless we put an end to this mess." Fiona stood firmly, jaw clenched. "There's no arguing logic. As you're clone, I'm the only one up to the seemingly impossible task you keep railing about but not speaking of. The longer you wait the less chance we have."

Kim sighed heavily, waving for Fiona to follow her.

They wander out of the kitchen and into the hangar. Kim silently leads her outside to the cliff's edge. They stare out across the water in reverence.

"We might not win. These beings have lived far longer than even time itself has written. I don't know if you've ever heard of the rumored sunken city Atlantis, but they're that ancient. They come from perfection, and they've continued to search for it ever since. In their search they've had little reserves in meddling with mortal affairs and sending our lives and countries into chaos when they're bored. When you hear the rumors of gods, miracles on earth, it's about them. They like feeling omnipotent."

Kim ran her fingers through her cropped hair before continuing her tale. "They're the reason I'm standing here, why _we're_ standing here. They had a hand in creating me. They were so proud of their near success in creating a being in their likeness that they revealed themselves to me. They wanted me to stand with them, follow them as they wandered around on whim, creating and destroying." Kim frowned. "I could not. Firstly, I didn't believe them. Secondly, if it _was_ true, I didn't like the picture they were painting. I know that things like this will keep happening. It's inevitable that science won't take human emotion or moral to process. But, with Them assisting, it will only inevitably lead to our demise. If they're this desperate for more companionship and they keep failing, they're going to get tired of staying. They'll destroy us and move on."

Fiona huffed. "You really like data dumping, don't you?"

Kim shrugged with a faint smirk. "Told you that the world sucks and I ain't sugar coating it. If you want in, you have to know what you're dealing with."

"Do the others know?"

"Of course not. They'd all be flying off the handle to kill Them. They'd only end up dying." Kim sighed. "Besides, they might jump the gun and run off on their own. I… can't lose another one of them."

"Another?"

The hollow look in Kim's eyes unnerved Fiona to no end. She hadn't dealt much with human emotion, but she didn't have to read the manual to know that Kim had been through hell and back. Maybe even worse.

"One is too many," Kim answered softly. "And I lost a lot more than that."

Kim shook herself. "Anyway, let's go scan this ring. Lily was checked on by Them multiple times, and so their essence should have left a trail for us to follow."

Fiona blinked. "How'd you manage that?"

"Let's just say that learning how to deceive your opponents is a skill that every thief masters."

"Then why aren't you deceiving the others?" butted in Fiona.

Kim snorted. "I did. There are two main bases left, linked to but not the holders of Them. If I divide the teams and pretend to go with one, in the chaos, I can get 'lost' and take care of my real mission."

"What if they insist on sharing one means of transportation that they have immediate control of the entire time?"

Kim's eyes twinkled darkly. "I've got a few… toys I haven't told them about. Transportation is the least of our worries."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "And here you were supposed to be the good guy…"

Kim chuckled. "Jumping the fence has its advantages."


	19. Chapter 19

It was dark. The clouds overhead cast the entire landscape in shadow. The wind was bitingly cold. The silence was eerie.

Kim found herself walking. She wasn't sure where she was going. She knew she was supposed to have a target, but she was more focused on her surroundings.

Something was off.

Cocking her head to the side, she listened intently for any signs of life. Nothing, not a sound was heard but her own footfalls. It only caused her more tension, as no sound meant _something_ was there and that it was most likely not friendly. It didn't help that she could see nothing on the deserted rocky plains. She squinted hard in every direction, but there wasn't even any plant life.

Something was wrong.

She crouched a moment, eyes still searching the horizon. She placed a hand upon the dry ground, hoping for any tiny tremor to present itself. There was nothing. Only the wind stirred anything, and it most decidedly liked playing with the fine dust lying around her; it made her throat dry and scratchy.

She stood up.

Someone was behind her.

She spun quickly to face the newcomer to find a man standing comfortably there as if he'd been there the whole time and not just suddenly appeared. Kim narrowed her eyes.

Something was very wrong.

He smiled kindly at her, his chiseled features striking, physique muscled beautifully. His bronze skin and wavy hair made her feel plain, simple. He looked like a god. He didn't have a single blemish.

She should have gotten into a defensive stance. She found herself simply standing there, waiting.

Waiving a hand in the air, he gestured to something behind her.

She frowned. She didn't want to look away from him; he was a threat, and she knew it. However, she found her body moving already. She was shifting her weight and taking her eyes away from her target. Her instincts were screaming at her, internal alarms shrieking.

She blinked.

She was staring at a wall. There was a door. She hesitated. Stepping forward cautiously, she reached for the knob and twisted it. The door fell away. Inside, bodies littered the ground. Her eyes began to widen at the amount of blood all over everything. Each body she turned to was identified easily by clothing, a specific item, or a face; on the wall hung two more bodies. There was hardly anything left to identify the last two. The only trace of familiarity was the names carved brutally into their chests over their hearts.

Lurching backwards, her hand leaped to her mouth.

Arms wrapped around her. She screamed.

A gnarled voice spoke in her ear.

"_It's too late…_"

They fell backwards. Instead of landing on solid ground, they kept falling. They fell into a deep manmade tunnel that went straight down. It didn't take long before the entrance disappeared into the distance.

Pushing with all her might, she escaped the person's grasp. She spun mid-air. Her heart froze.

The ground was suddenly beneath her. She landed hard, the wind knocked out of her. She looked up in horror as a familiar head of blond hair and brown eyes looked at her. He stood hunched before her, body riddled with bullet wounds seeping blood. His wide smile dribbled blood down his chin.

Kim screamed.

She sat up on the cot, heart pounding in her chest. She was looking into a reflection of her own green eyes.

An M-14 shell was tossed up into the air. Kim caught it reflexively.

Fiona stared at her casually. "I'd ask, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with why we're all here to begin with."

Kim said nothing, rolling the shell between her fingers absently as her mind focused solely upon the brown eyes that she'd been looking into moments ago.

Fiona rolled her eyes and crossed the small room to sit on the end of the cot Kim sat upon. The hum of an aircraft was counted as a blessing, as it allowed this conversation to be private as no one else had heard Kim's choked and muffled screams. Fiona faced her original with a silent and considering regard. After several minutes, she decided Kim had enough time to regroup. "We're close. We'll be there in forty minutes. It would be sooner, but we're trying to keep off radar and reduced speed to allow the cloaking system to do its work." Fiona frowned when she noticed Kim had yet to acknowledge anything she'd said. She sighed.

*SMACK!*

Kim nearly fell off the cot from the recoil. She turned a burning gaze to the culprit across from her.

"WHAT WAS-!"

"Shut-up." Interrupted Fiona. "You're life sucks. I get it. You have bad dreams. I get it. You want revenge. Totally with you. However, if you don't start taking this seriously, I'm not opposed to knocking some sense into you. I think we've all suffered enough because of this shit, and yes, I mean ALL of us. No one has escaped Their tampering, and I'm tired of letting them get away with it." Fiona huffed. "I'm tired of watching you throw a pity party. Get over it. We're in the process of fixing crap, and you're still being a whiney little shit. Aren't you the least bit satisfied yet? Aren't you feeling even the tiniest bit of accomplishment? You've already nearly destroyed everything that created this chaos. All you have left is two bases and two beings. I think out of the hundreds of bases that were involved in this shit, that's a hell of an accomplishment."

Kim looked away, facial muscles taunt. "It may be so, but it's not enough. I won't be satisfied until it's completely finished. Until then, nothing is enough."

Fiona scoffed but didn't verbally refute it; there was some truth to it, after all. Nothing would be enough for her until she knew that she would be completely free of her creators and their pet projects. It was immensely gratifying to be freed from that prison, but she knew that would never be complete freedom until this whole mess was sorted. She really didn't want to live looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.

"Come. We have shit to do. Your two suitors and your… creepy gunner, are getting antsy. If you don't show up soon, we'll be at the bottom of the ocean. Their tempers are sure to cause damage to our transportation."

Kim rolled her eyes. "I swear, leaving them alone and fearing what they'll do in ten minutes is ridiculous. I wish they'd grow up. We have enough to worry about."

"And that's exactly why they're getting out of hand," remarked Fiona. "They're on edge. They are still expecting you to be hiding something, for good reasons too. Honestly, it's a good thing we're about to get into another wild brawl. It should keep them entertained for a while."

Kim snorted. "A short while."

"Yes, but we should be clear of immediate discovery before they realize anything. Which reminds me, how the hell are we getting… well, wherever we're going to?"

A gleeful smile split the redheads face, green eyes twinkling. "Oh, don't worry about that. You'll see when it happens." She looked Fiona up and down. "We might need to get you some darker clothes though. You stand out like a sore thumb."

Fiona huffed. "Blame your dark skinned friend! Because you locked your door before she could get to you, she decidedly came after me to play dress-up! I hate the color yellow!"

Kim blinked. "You do?"

"Yes! It's too bright and cheery. They used it as subtle stimuli. They were hoping to affect my emotional and mental balance to their liking. I grew to hate the color very quickly. Blue was starting to become a second in dislike as they started picking up on the fact I was not affected by the yellow as they'd hoped. The fact your friend seems to think it looks wonderfully on me only makes me want to burn it faster."

Kim laughed. "Well, what colors would you prefer she use?"

"Green," Fiona said flatly. "Green was the only color they never used. I think they feared I would associate it with Shego. I always thought of it as nature, the outside, and freedom."

Nodding slowly, Kim looked down at her hands. "My favorite color became yellow. It always reminded me of Ron, reminded me of the carefree joy of the old days."

They sat in companionable silence. The hum of the aircraft was comforting, as it let them feel isolated from all of their troubles, even for just a moment.

A glance at her watch was all the more incentive Fiona needed to get things moving again. She looked up at her original. "Well, for freedom, and joy. Let's go kick some ass." She lifted her fist into the air.

Kim grinned, lifting hers to bump knuckles. "Yeah, let's show them they won nothing when they decided to fuck with us."

"Because we can do _anything_," finished Fiona, a feral grin on her face.

Kim matched the grin as they made their way to the cockpit. She stopped behind Shego and Georgia, placing a hand on either of their shoulders. "Well ladies, I think it's time we got this show on the road. We're arriving, yes?"

"Hell yes!" shouted Jenny, waiving her pistols wildly in the air.

"Okay, Jenny, I want your focus to be the weapons bay and armory. Yes, you can take any weapon you want for a new 'toy', however, the rest need to be out of commission."

Jenny actually squealed and then moaned in a disturbingly sexual way. "I get new toooooys…"

Fiona and Shego made sure to edge further away from her, even though Shego was sitting in a chair bolted to the floor. Kim merely continued on as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Fiona briefly wondered how much worse the energetic blond could get if this garnered no reaction from the Goth and her original.

"Georgie, I need you to get to the command center. I need _all_ heads rolling. There cannot be a single part of the upper chain of command left to function and regroup. This means finding all offices and work stations and ensuring that _every_ important member is taken care of." Kim turned to Shego. "That means you have the residential and bunking areas. This isn't a simple destroy the base in a big explosion and assume you have everyone. Everyone from the previous bases that survived has been brought here. That means we need to get rid of everyone. I already made that clear with the other team. Luckily, they have the smaller base and won't have as many numbers to deal with. WE get the full brunt of their last stand. We also have the base with the higher count of officials. We have all the leading members stationed here. It makes them perfect for a quick strike, even if their security is far more advanced."

Kim took a breath before continuing. "That is another point. Security here is far higher. There aren't any air ducts large enough to fit anything larger than a rat, and a pet store sized rat, not the New York cat and dog sized ones." A brief smirk crossed Kim's face at that. "Anyway, they have all of the new, expensive, and strongest weapons and defense systems here. Most of the bases were easy if not a little tricky to get into. This one is going to take some work. Sandra was a sweetheart and supplied us with some awesome firepower, but it will only take us so far before we have to dig in and handle things on our own. Our main concern is disarming the force-field they have surrounding the base. It will pop like a soap bubble if we use the proper energy and right location to take it off-line. However, it has a backup that will have a fifteen second delay before it flares up in place of the first. Our timing will have to be perfect, especially since they have plenty of weapons to shoot at us while we're trying to deal with the force-field."

Jenny raised her hand.

Kim sighed. "No, their weapons are not affected by the force-field. It only prevents things from getting in, not out. We could try to enter through their gate, but it would take far longer and allow the base to prepare better for our assault that follows. Going through a different hole is far wiser, even if we have to create said hole. I also want to warn you all that they have items that target each of our weaknesses. They have plasma nullifying restraints, Shego, as well as rounds in their weapons that nix your healing ability too. Georgia, they have sleeping agents and stunners that will reduce your speed and make you an easier target to take down, said sleeping agents are loaded into all kinds of ranged weapon they hold, allowing them to keep you at a distance. Jenny, they have weapons that shoot faster than yours. They also have some armored suits that can withstand your typical armor piercing bullet and allows them to move at faster speeds than your average human; they will most likely be trying to get in close as they know you prefer distance fighting."

Shego and Georgia frown at her.

"What exactly will _you_ be doing?" questioned the green skinned woman.

Kim snorted. "No trust, no trust at all…" She rolled her eyes. "Relax, I'm going to be focusing on the labs that they're hiding in the very center and lowest levels of the base. All of their important information and equipment will be there as well. I will be placing the bomb and taking care of anyone alive down there. Fiona will be helping me, as I want to make sure that there isn't any crucial data that may be important that outlines their schemes and what they've done. If there is any important information regarding me, Fiona, any of my other clones, or Lily, I want to know what it is and if it's useful. Such a thing will take time; hence I want two of us to be working in that area. Besides, knowing this group, there might be some nasty surprises down there."

"Why not take one of us?" questioned the Goth, looking less than pleased about the thought.

"Easy," answered Kim. "She's been infinitely familiar with similar labs since her creation. She'll have a better idea what to look for and what needs the most focus. Not only that, I haven't seen her in combat yet. I want to know that my obvious heavy hitters are in the right places, as I don't want any casualties because of foolhardiness."

Fiona scowled at the remark, but didn't protest. If she was leading this pack, she'd want to be certain too. Plus, it was a great excuse to get the two of them working in the same area so that they didn't have to try and regroup after the chaos started.

She hid a grin. She could always get revenge later.

Kim grabbed a small backpack and began loading stuff into it. Fiona belated realized that the other redhead was putting multiple little bombs into the bag; bombs she knew used in combination could create quite a large crater. It would seem that her original was quite serious in destroying everything.

After double checking the contents of the bag, Kim nodded crisply. She looked up to find the others looking at her squarely. She grinned, slipping the bag onto her shoulders.

"I am not going to perform some fancy speech for this last bit of destruction for our futures. I am, however, going to insist that you all do a damned fine job of said destruction. I want this to be over with, and I don't want to have to repeat the ridiculous feats it's taken to get here." She tightened the straps on her bag and headed to the gunner seat mounted on the belly of the aircraft. "I will try and keep us safe. Shego, I expect you to maintain a proper defense with me, and Georgia you keep our flight strong and well timed. Jenny, I want you to prepare the E.P. Cannon. You will have one shot. I don't doubt you'll make it, but be aware that the precise location to pop this shield is eighty degrees from the center and aligned perfectly with the Base Ops building and due north."

Georgia was already maneuvering the aircraft into proper configuration for the Base Ops and due north alignment. Jenny squealed as she jumped up to snag the ladder and hauled herself up into the second cockpit above.

Kim found herself trembling as she lowered herself into gunner's seat and got her weapons locked and ready. An eerie smile split her face, and her pupils began to dilate.

They were so close, she could taste victory, could hear the thunder of their win echoing around in the silence that would follow the death of their defilers.

"Let the day of futures begin," she murmured.


	20. Chapter 20

The air hissed and buzzed with bullets. The high whine of laser fire also sang in the wind. Bucking and rocking of the airship was hardly noticed as every individual was more focused on keeping serious threats away and not worrying about the explosions from fire that they'd already countered. Their harnesses were taunt as they were tossed around roughly, but never once did anyone's hands stray from their consoles. Every gaze was hardened, focused; the sound of their Sloth giggling like mad was only mild background noise as they tore through the storm of enemy fire raining upon them from all directions.

"We're closing in to pop the Bubble," calmly stated the Goth in the pilot seat. She glanced briefly at the panel to ensure that their aircraft hadn't taken any serious hits yet. Luckily, most of the damage seemed pretty minor. She was silently thankful that they had three well trained gunners and a bomber, or the ship would be scattered scrap on the ground by now.

"Sloth, ready the cannon. Keep it primed. You are fully allowed to return fire until we reach the Green Zone." Kim whipped her gun around and blasted away another rocket. The aircraft bucked harshly, but she was already targeting one of the bastion turrets that were spitting fire at them at an alarming rate. There had been twenty of the bastion turrets at the beginning of the battle. She had already demolished seven of them. She was profusely glad that Wade and Sandra had tinkered on the aircraft, creating a heavily armored exterior that also had ejection ports that allowed small waves of energy to surround the ship in a fitted force field. Such a created field allowed that if a section was hit and destroyed, the other sections would still have their own energy field protecting them. It allowed for only minor damage to be taken under the heavy assault.

Shego sat in the co-pilot seat hammering away at the extensive missiles and rockets being sent their way. She was surprised at the amount of surface to air missiles that were being deployed. She amused herself thinking it was because the base knew who they were and were trying their damnedest to eliminate them. It stroked her pride that they were taking out all the stops on this, and it made her grin widely as she deployed several decoys to deter a few heat seekers and rip into several unmanned assault drones zipping around them with her own Sponson turrets.

Jenny had already prepared the E.P. Cannon. It was humming loudly, even with all the chaos and noise that filled the aircraft. She had already strapped herself into one of the mounted turrets and began shooting down enemy aircraft around them even before the redhead had given her the okay. She'd happily crashed three helicopters, one jet, and ten un-manned … things. She wasn't sure what the little un-manned craft were, but they were small, fast, and had a surprisingly hard punch. She was slightly intrigued there weren't more jets, but she figured they would be deployed once their team had breached the Bubble.

Fiona had taken it upon herself to bomb the hell out of the forces below them. She was in a seat aft on the craft, both deploying bombs and refilling the stations with a few quick precise commands to the computer. She was vibrating with adrenaline, as this was the first true fight she'd ever been in. It made her even more elated to know that their techies had made the entire reloading stations machine operated so that all you needed was a few commands before getting back to work. She was doing well keeping the ground forces scattered and assisting Kim in keeping the heavy artillery from being properly utilized.

Georgia sighed as the sky lit up in a blaze of ungodly glory. She was sick of them trying to use EMP weapons on them, thinking they hadn't already accounted for it. It only caused a backlash that blinded the troops on the ground. She had made a few deft maneuvers to avoid any fatal collisions and missiles, but for the most part had kept a rather direct approach. They had yet to truly hit any resistance that they couldn't match, and she was only slightly tense that the real fight would begin once they crossed the border before them.

The Goth glanced at the panel. "Sloth, get back to the Cannon. Approaching Green Zone. Massive incoming wave, Matchstick. Red, two tanks sighted Port side. Clone, take care of those ground cannons."

"Ten four," remarked Kim and Fiona, already locking onto the new threats.

"Armed and ready!" chirped Jenny, eyes sparkling as she sighted in.

"Matchstick?!" bellowed Shego. "What kind of name is that?!"

"Fitting," retorted Georgia calmly.

Both Kim and Jenny could be heard giggling over the comms. Fiona simply snorted.

"Countdown beginning," spoke the Goth, earning silence from everyone as they all became focused once more. "Green Zone in ten..."

Shego let out a muffled curse as her hands flew above the panel. Decoys, lasers, and bullets sang at her touch, finding targets with disturbing accuracy. It was slow, but the massive assault wave bearing down on them began to lessen.

"Nine…"

Kim flipped a switch. Her turret whirred as the two main barrels of her weapon split, leaving one at the ready while the other spun away on a track to be replaced with a different barrel. The two barrels didn't interlock again, allowing Kim to maneuver them separately. One remained focused on the aerial attackers while the massive missile launcher was aimed towards the ground forces.

"Seven…"

Jenny started singing. No one could really make out the words, but her lilting jaunty tune filled the comms with a rather upbeat rhythm. Her trigger finger sat at the ready. Her other index finger was tapping away a steady beat on the E.P. Cannon's grip.

"Six…"

Kim's weapon roared as she opened fire with her 50 cal. The missile launcher hissed, leaving a trail of smoke behind as it descended upon its target. Fiona unleashed a tight group of ground flares that were followed by five bombs.

"Five…"

Seemingly smashing her hand down on the desk and raking it across the panel, Shego managed to deter seventy percent of the initial wave bearing down on them. The last thirty percent sent shockwaves through the aircraft, rattling its occupants' teeth.

"Three…"

Jenny's voice lifted, reaching a rather disturbing crescendo on a note that was correct but uncomfortably high in pitch. Shego found herself wishing they could broadcast it live and make their enemy shit themselves.

"Two…" Georgia reaffirmed her grip on the controls, eyes unblinkingly gazing at their target. "One… FIRE!"

Their forward motion nearly halted from the recoil the E.P. Cannon produced. The beam shot out and struck the force field, lighting up its entire structure. Every eye turned to watch in awe as the Bubble fluctuated and then burst as if nothing more than a child's soapy plaything. As soon as it fell away, Georgia shoved the aircraft forward with as much boost as she could.

Kim made sure to drop three more missiles and down two more copters. Shego was swiftly deflecting the renewed assault while Jenny ripped herself out of the E.P. Cannon's grip and back into the mounted turret harness. She was already tearing into multiple aircraft. Fiona let loose an unholy terror of bombs, meaning she basically just emptied the rest of the beasts right on top of the enemy's troops in a falling swarm of death.

They just cleared the border when the backup force field lit up, cutting off all fire coming in from behind them.

There was a moment of silent pause, each woman staring blankly at the open space of the base before them.

Jenny whooped, breaking the moment. "Come get some!" she howled, opening fire again at anything and everything that moved.

The others grinned before falling back into action. Fiona was quick to leave her post, as her ammo was now empty. She entered the armory and began pulling any necessary weapons off the shelf and onto her person. It was only a short while before Georgia's vehement curse filtered into their senses.

"Guys, this bird isn't going to last much longer. We're going to have to hoof it." The Goth surveyed the damage again. Already two of the four engines were smoking, most of the energy field was gone, and chunks of their aircraft were visibly missing. "The jets they're deploying will finish us in the first wave. We need to bail now."

The Goth locked the controls in a fashion that the aircraft would cause collateral damage when shot down. Shego sent out a massive halo of all remaining decoys and defense systems. Jenny tried to release the bolts of the mounted turret in hopes of taking it with, but when Kim grabbed her shoulder and forcibly dragged her away, the blond let out a despondent sigh and grabbed two smaller and less awing assault rifles from their wall mounts. Everyone hovered at the hatch at the back end of the craft.

Kim gave them all a grim smile. "Do NOT use the parachutes unless your anti-gravity belt fails. The chute will draw too much attention and make you easy targets as it has a much slower descent rate. It also won't allow you to navigate all these bloody trees. You all have your mission. Don't forget the objective of making sure you kill everyone of importance. I know some of us are not usually prone to such lethal measures, but it IS necessary. You all know where to be before the bombs go off. If you aren't there, you will be expected to radio in or you will be counted among the dead. Be prepared for heavy ground resistance and air resistance at all entry points. They know we're coming."

The redhead looked them all over one last time, meeting each of their gazes. She wanted to say more. She knew she probably wouldn't see these faces ever again. She wanted to give Shego and Georgia something, anything, which would let them know how much they meant to her. There was a gift she'd been saving to give to Jenny, as she'd _only_ wanted to give it to the blond when she was safely in an entirely different country. She figured being dead counted as well. Fiona… well, Fiona was someone she wanted to give an actual life. She really hoped their actions today would grant her that, at least.

She sighed. "Alright everyone, let's move out," she said softly but with force.

A gush of air howled as, at just the push of a button, the hatch blasted away from the aircraft and disappeared. Each of them dove out one by one, Kim the last to leap after giving Fiona a very meaningful gaze.

They dropped like stones. As they hadn't been very high, Jenny and Shego were already below the tree line, safely touching down with their gravity belts activated. Georgia was quick to follow their example, rolling behind cover as a wave of gunfire barreled in on her as soon as her feet hit the dirt. Kim and Fiona managed to drop relatively close to each other. Kim's experience with the gravity belt let her angle her descent towards the other redhead with ease. When they both recovered their feet and rendezvoused, they were already surrounded by enemies. They were forced to race to the shelter of some rocks before they could return fire.

Kim sighed. "Jenny, I know you're having fun, but you're singing is starting to get irritating. I'm turning off my comms. Hit the MC button once long, once short, and once more long if you need my attention."

"Same," followed Fiona, a grimace on her face.

Echoes of agreement from the other two were on their heels. Jenny didn't even seem to have heard them as the connection ended.

Kim took one of the energy rifles from Fiona. "Count of three?"

Fiona snorted. "Please. As if you need to count."

Kim grinned. "Very well."

With some unseen signal, both of the redheads leapt from behind their cover. Their weapons thrummed as they opened fire on the foot soldiers around them. It was like a twisted dance as they weaved in and out of trees, seemingly around bullets, and up and over any other obstacle as if they were practically weightless. Their weapons were at a constant rate of fire, eyes coolly locking onto target after target, dispensing of them with efficient ease. It seemed like a simple deep breath, and the area they were in was silent once more. Dead bodies littered the ground around them, and the two of them had not a seeming scratch to show for it.

"You know," Fiona said quizzically. "It's moments like this I really stand by that saying."

"Oh?" asked Kim. She was checking the downed guards for any type of access card or keys while Fiona played lookout.

"Yeah. We can do _anything_."

A wry twist of her lips signaled Kim's mutual agreement as she pulled every set of keys and access cards she could find into a bag that she secured to her belt. "Don't let it get to your head. Just because we can, doesn't mean we can't be stopped." She stood erect again, dusting off her hands.

Fiona shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"Personally, I'm ready to be free of the title. It's gotten me into enough trouble as it is."

Fiona grinned. "Yeah, but it sure is awesome to be someone who can actually say it truthfully. Admit it, a little bragging is kind of fun."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Once upon a time, maybe. Nowadays, it's just annoying because everyone either disputes it or freaks out when you prove it." Kim turned and finally locked gazes with her clone. "You're just tweaking 'cuz this is your first show of real action." She gave her a toothy grin.

Fiona blushed a little at being caught, eyes darting away as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "Um, hey, uh, shouldn't we be on the move or something?" Fiona quickly set off towards one of the known base entrances.

Kim cackled as she followed her clone, gleeful she had someone to tease to release some of her tension. In the distance, she could hear the rest of her team giving the enemy hell.


	21. Chapter 21

"You SHOT me!" yelled Kim, eyes wide.

A rather sheepish looking carbon copy was trying to look everywhere but at the short haired original. "How do you know it was me?"

"You're the only bloody one with a forty five!" shouted Kim, pointing at said pistol still smoking in her clone's hand. She then waved her hand at the soldiers lying dead on the ground who were all holding a different variation of energy rifles.

Fiona sucked on her teeth with a puckered brow. Her green eyes shifted nervously over the obvious difference in firepower as she discreetly tried to slip the pistol out of Kim's sight.

Kim, catching what her clone was doing, gave her a hard glare. Her free hand now held her shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers and soaking her shirt. A scowl remained fixed on her face as she gave her shoulder a pointed look. "My arm is useless now, thank you. There's no way we can finish in time and get to our separate transportation with my shoulder such a mess!"

Fiona winced, scratching her cheek absently. "I really didn't mean to… I just… got excited?"

"That doesn't fix the problem!" Kim growled at her before stomping around the office in hopes of finding a first aid kit.

"No wait! Here! I've got something that will work!" Fiona hastily dug into her pant leg bloused around the top of her boots and pulled out a rather bulky looking object about the size of her fist. She crossed the room and started pulling Kim's hand away from the wound.

"Stop that! What are you doing?!"

"Trust me! This will fix it right up!" Fiona shoved Kim's erratic hand away and quickly examined the wound. She grunted an odd affirmation before stuffing the object in her cargo pocket so she could start ripping Kim's shirt open to have more access to the wound.

It took all of Kim's willpower not to freak out and shove her clone away. It didn't help that her shoulder hurt like a-

"There!" exclaimed her clone. She wiped her now bloody hands onto her pants before pulling out the object again. She pushed a button and some gel started seeping out, which she quickly applied to the bleeding hole on both the entry and exit points of the wound. She double checked her work before nodding to herself, ignoring Kim's hisses of pained protest. "Last step!"

A click was heard as a button was pressed. A beam of light shot out of the odd contraption, which Fiona was quick to narrow until it just encompassed the area of the injury. With a slightly irritating flat tone, light began to pulse up and down across the punctured flesh, Fiona careful to keep the beam steady and on target. Kim tried to crane her neck to watch, but it proved fruitless as the angle was just too sharp to get a good view. She ended up staring balefully at the wall, trying to ignore the stinging itchy feeling burning through her shoulder.

The machine clicked off. Before Kim could say or do anything, Fiona maneuvered behind her and turned the machine on again. Kim huffed, gritting her teeth.

It felt like forever. It didn't help that she was twitchy, seeing as they could be ambushed at any moment. Overall, however, it was a relatively quick process before Fiona turned the machine off a second time and slapped her hard on shoulder.

"There! All done!"

Kim rounded on her, ready to tear her head off…

Until she realized her shoulder didn't hurt at all. She probed the area with her fingers only to find new, and quite tender, flesh.

"It's something I nicked from the place they kept me. Heard them talking about it, so I convinced my kidnappers to take a detour, saying it was safer. The stem cell gel, five hundred twenty eight hertz, and a healthy dose of photons get the body to repair itself faster. Works pretty quickly on small wounds, it seems." She inspected the area critically before smiling broadly. "There! It's like it never even happened!"

A hand swiftly jerked, striking Fiona soundly on the back of the head.

"Except it did!" retorted Kim, green eyes dark. "'The hell is wrong with you?!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"No you didn't! Are you blind?! How could you hit me?! They're _all_ wearing that stupid navy blue uniform!" She points at her shirt. "Steel gray! Big difference!"

"You stepped in the way! I thought you were beside me! I was trying to sweep across the room when you stepped forward!" Fiona thrust an accusing finger in Kim's face. "If you'd stayed next to me I wouldn't have hit you!"

"I was knocking that guy's rifle from his hands! He was going to shoot you!" argued Kim. She kicked the accused dead guy.

"Oh… he was?" Fiona considered the dead guy as Kim rolled her eyes.

With a huff, the short haired woman started making her way across the room to set up a small device. "Whatever. I guess you can do anything, _including_ shooting your partner."

The spontaneous urge to stick her tongue at Kim was fighting its way to the surface. It was not something she was used to feeling, so found the action shortly after happening just as Kim turned back around to face her.

Kim's eyebrow twitched.

"I'll give you to the count of three to put that away before you have a fancy new piercing," drawled Kim, hand fingering her own pistol.

Fiona blew a raspberry before lurching out of the room and back into the hallway they'd taken to get there.

A wide grin adorned the clone's face, eyes bright. Adrenaline and the newly discovered feeling of joy surged through her veins, and she was wantonly submerging herself in it even as she heard Kim spewing curses and threats behind her. As she raced through the halls, Kim hot on her heels, she never felt more whole than at that moment. The feeling of life, of _living_, was so… intoxicating, she found herself fervently trying to drown herself in the experience. It caused her cheeks to flush and her body to practically fly. She felt entirely weightless, even as she barreled through the secret base toting an energy rifle and three pistols.

She burst into a room, door banging open against the wall loudly. Inside, a rather large group startled and stared at her blankly. She grinned and threw a handful of small discs into the room before slamming the door closed again.

*whuff!*

A puff of air burst from below the door, followed by a slithering hiss of ash that dusted the tops of her boots white. She flung the door open again to find the room auspiciously empty of human inhabitants.

Kim came up behind her and merely lifted an eyebrow. "Another toy you procured?"

Fiona winked at her. "Something like that."

Kim merely grunted, having done similar things herself when she'd hunted down other such bases on her own. "Let's go. Our window is beginning to get smaller, and I don't trust delaying things with this group."

Fiona shrugged, straightening from hacking one of the computers. "Sounds good. Looks like anything of interest is literally the furthest and smallest hole they could stuff it. I figure the maps only show partial blueprints so that only the 'need-to-know' group has any idea its true dimensions."

"I figured as much. I've been to enough of these things to know how much they like their secret cubbies. I know this one will be the largest, however." A glint lit the short haired woman's eye.

Her clone lifts an eyebrow. "What exactly do they have that's got you all in a tizzy?"

A grin was her only answer.

Fiona sighed. "Fine. Whatever. Be a cryptic ass. Let's just go. We've only just reached the first security check point for the labs. It looks like we have another three before hitting the jackpot."

They ran down the corridor behind the security panel, using the access cards to sweep through all the blast doors. It was short work getting to and past the second security panel. Sadly, the ease of their progress was quickly hindered. The third and fourth were tricky, as the alarms meant security measures had all access cards to those areas on the people located _in_ that area, as well as retinal and fingerprint scanners on top of that. When they reached the blast door just outside the third security room, after destroying the mounted defenses that had fired upon them, Fiona turned to Kim expectantly.

"I don't have anything to get us through that."

Kim grinned. She pulled out a tube of… lipstick?

She took off the cap and pointed it rather dramatically at the door. "Star Serious Laser!" she shouted after twisting the end of the lipstick and creating a rather wide beam that cut a nice waist sized hole in the door just by hitting it dead on.

The clone gave her DNA donator a deadpan look. "Did you seriously just say that?"

"Yep!" Kim popped her 'p'.

"Who the hell even watches that show?!" retorted Fiona. "It's terrible!"

"And yet you've obviously watched enough to know what it was from," commented Kim, giving her clone a broad smile.

Fiona's visage fell to mortification. "Nuh-uh! It was that damned Dr. Spice! She watched it all the damned time! Whenever she was running tests on me, I had to sit there and listen to that crap!"

Kim tossed two grenades into the created hole. "Someone dost protest too much!" she sang.

*BOOM!*

Both redheads watched from either side as debris and smoke billowed out of the hole between them. Before the smoke even cleared, both rolled into the room and opened fire on anyone still moving.

"That's a load of crap!" spit Fiona, her cheeks a faint pink. "That show sucked! Only children might be stupid enough to like it!"

"Oh, I don't know. I thought that, what's her name? The blond racer? She was kind of cool."

"Haruka?"

Kim flashed Fiona a triumphant smirk.

A scowl answered her. "Fu-"

"Halt!"

*bang!*

"-you!" finished Fiona. A body hit the ground behind Kim, Fiona's gun kicking the expended shell over her shoulder.

"I love you too!" chirped a grinning Kim. She practically skipped on to the next hallway. Her clone followed her, grumbling the whole way.

After fourth security room, both redheads were getting edgy.

"Are we there yet?" groused Fiona. She pulled out her last magazine, inserting it with a crisp snap into the butte of her pistol. "Seriously. I'm almost out of ammo."

Kim frowned, looking at her own dwindling supply. "I would assume so, but we have no idea what else is down there. Some labs have secret defenses that the schematics don't account for. I once ran into a giant that could spit acid."

A tint of green colored Fiona's face. "The one at mine was a human spider hybrid, kind of like the minotaur. Its blood was acidic and it was bloody fast as hell." She shivered. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone shoot as quickly or accurately, or as much, as Sloth did when she killed that thing. Couldn't tell what the hell it was when she was done with it."

A shudder crawled up Kim's spine. "Why the hell would anyone want to even create something like that? It's just wrong-sick."

"Agreed."

The door before them hissed open, the largest blast door they'd seen so far. The interior was small, but both redheads knew it was a front. They quickly searched the room and found another switch. The whole floor begin to sink. Both waited as its descent slowly crawled deeper into the earth, making Fiona and Kim both yawn to pop their ears.

When they hit the bottom of the shaft, lights begin to flicker on around them.

"Holy-!" blurted Fiona, jaw dropping open. "Is THAT what we're taking?!"

Kim smirked. "You bet."

"Can I drive?!" begged Fiona.

"HA! Not on your life! I got dibs when I uncovered hints about it two years ago!"

"You suck." Fiona crossed her arms with a huffy pout.

Kim rolled her eyes. "It's not like you aren't riding shotgun. Now hurry up and start hacking the files. I'm going to go check out the rest of the labs."

"Yeah, yeah," groused the longer haired redhead, shuffling her way over to the nearest computer and plopping into the seat. "I bet it's just cause she's still angry that I shot her…"

"You bet your scrawny butt I'm still angry about that!" came the distant call.

Fiona blinked. "How the hell did you hear me?!"

"Acoustics!"

"'Acoustics!'" murmured Fiona, using air quotes.

"Keep it up and you'll ride in the cargo hold!" shouted Kim.

Fiona flipped her the bird.

* * *

Yo! I'm just editing this chapter because there's a small comic strip of it being done on Deviant Art, and I think it's hilarious and wanted to share it with you. Four pages are hashed out, but only the first page is posted. Look it up under wickedlilme.

Anyway, I will try to get a new chapter out as soon as I can, but I have a lot of art I need to catch up on.

Toodles!

-salute-


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